There’s no doubt that Japanese Breakfast’s Michelle Zauner has had an insanely busy year. Not only did she drop the acclaimed album Jubilee (which landed at No. 1 on Uproxx’s 2021 Music Critics Poll), but she but she also released the best-selling book Crying In H-Mart, wrote the score for an indie video game, and was nominated for two 2021 Grammy awards. After bringing her songs to a number of late-night TV performances, Zauner now takes The Late Late Show With James Corden stage.
Arriving on the stage in an intricate gown, Zauner is backed by a full band for a spirited rendition of her track “Side Tackle.” Not only does Zauner bring all to energy to her performance, but she also brings out a saxophonist for a brief, loungey solo. Aside from the performance, Zauner also chatted with Corden about her Grammy nominations, getting a coat check named after her, and Coachella.
Ahead of her late-night set, Zauner sat down with Uproxx to talk about winning the 2021 Critics Poll and a few of her other achievements last year. Talking about the overwhelming support from her listeners, Zauner said, “It’s a really, really wonderful feeling, because I think as an artist, there’s so much time that’s spent feeling like no one understands you or what you’re doing. And it’s been such a long time working on music and feeling like no one really got it. It was such a special record for me and it’s really wonderful to have that feeling be shared with people with such high standards and impeccable taste.”
Watch Japanese Breakfast perform “Slide Tackle” on The Late Late Show With James Corden above.
Jubilee is out now via Dead Oceans. Get it here.