THE LADY DON'T MIND

Talking Heads Star, 73, Reveals Surprise Wedding to Fiancée, 55

David Byrne celebrated by sharing a playlist of songs that will provide the soundtrack for the reception.

Former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne, 73, is getting married to fiancée Mala Gaonkar this week, and celebrated the news by sharing a mostly-instrumental playlist of songs that will provide the soundtrack for their reception. The announcement, which came just weeks after they soft-launched their engagement in an interview with The Sunday Times, was made in a now-expired note on Byrne’s Instagram Stories. “I’m getting married this week, and made an almost entirely instrumental playlist while our guests eat an amazing and spicy dinner,” he wrote. “My sense is that words & lyrics can be distracting — the ear goes to them, especially if it’s a song one knows.” He added, “So, I opted for buoyant instrumentals that will create a hopeful and joyous atmosphere … and that folks can also ignore at the same time.” Gaonkar, 55, is a businesswoman and hedge fund manager who has collaborated with Byrne on several immersive visual projects since 2016. Spanning 42 songs over two and a half hours, the playlist features music from artists such as Brian Eno, Herbie Hancock, and Post Malone, among others.