Iconic musician David Byrne, famed for fronting Talking Heads, has quietly announced his engagement to Mala Gaonkar, a prominent businesswoman and philanthropist. Byrne, 73, casually referred to Gaonkar as his fiancée during a recent interview with The Times, offering fans a gentle surprise tied to his music release.
The new relationship milestone was revealed as Byrne discussed his upcoming solo album, Who Is the Sky?, due September 5. In sharing the story behind the album’s track “Moisturizing Thing,” he humorously recalled how “My fiancée will sometimes come at me with greasy hands, ready to smear my face,” and added a reflective note about how we’re judged on appearances.
Byrne and Gaonkar, 55, share a creative partnership that spans nearly a decade. They collaborated on immersive theater projects for Stanford Arts Institute in 2016 and again in Denver in 2022. The couple also frequently make event appearances together, from the Oscars to recent film premieres.
This engagement marks a new chapter in both their lives—Byrne, a father from a previous marriage, and Gaonkar, a mother of two and a leader in finance and social impact, finding joy together in both artistry and life.
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