Zauner grew up listening to Motown music, girl groups, and British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, which she says inspired her to write pop music that is "interesting and has lyrical depth". The first song she learned to play on the guitar was Built to Spill's "Carry the Zero". Other musical influences include Joe Hisaishi, Frank Ocean, Kate Bush, and video games. She has called the 1975 her "fave band" and contributed uncredited guest vocals to its track "Part of the Band". Zauner has called Björk's discography "perfect" and said that Japanese Breakfast's third studio album Jubilee was inspired by Björk's third studio album, Homogenic (1997).
