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The Contenders, Vol. 2: The songs we can't stop playing this week

Japanese Breakfast (Michelle Zauner) is back with the song, "Orlando in Love," from the upcoming For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women).
Pak Bae
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Courtesy of the artist
Japanese Breakfast (Michelle Zauner) is back with the song, "Orlando in Love," from the upcoming For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women).

NPR Music's Ann Powers and Daoud Tyler-Ameen fill in for under-the-weather host Robin Hilton and share the latest from Michelle Zauner's project, Japanese Breakfast. "Orlando in Love," is the lead single from For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women), Zauner's first new album since her memoir, Crying in H Mart, spent more than a year on the New York Times bestseller list.

We've also got a new Sufjan Stevens-produced track from singer Denison Witmer, twisted electro-jazz from Nicolas Jaar's DARKSIDE, the gnarled rock of Deep Sea Diver and more.


Featured artists and songs

  • Deep Sea Diver: "Shovel," from Billboard Heart
  • SPELLLING: "Portrait of My Heart," from Portrait of My Heart
  • Japanese Breakfast: "Orlando in Love," from For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)
  • Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek, "Hop Bico" from Yarın Yoksa
  • Denison Witmer: "A House With," from Anything At All
  • DARKSIDE: "S.N.C," from Nothing

Copyright 2025 NPR

Ann Powers
Ann Powers is NPR Music's critic and correspondent. She writes for NPR.org and she can be heard on NPR's newsmagazines and music podcasts.
Daoud Tyler-Ameen
[Copyright 2024 NPR]