The unexpected rise of The Linda Lindas came after their performance of “Racist, Sexist Boy” for the Los Angeles Public Library in May 2021
In line with the brand’s ongoing commitment to elevating new music from emerging musicians around the world, the annual Gibson Artist Spotlight program will showcase an evolving roster of musicians who will be featured across Gibson’s global and international channels.
The Artist Spotlight program debuted in January 2024 with Austin Sexton and recently added Mona Lindgren, Alex Ritchie, Zach Person, and Devon Thompson to the ranks. It also welcomed Ayoni, The Picturebooks, Camilla PNK, DeWolff, Tigirlily Gold, Santa, and now The Linda Lindas.
The Linda Lindas started as a new wave cover band for kids, organized by Kristin Kontrol of Dum Dum Girls for Girlschool LA in 2018, and soon formed their garage punk group. Comprised of sisters Mila de la Garza (drums) and Lucia de la Garza (guitar), cousin Eloise Wong (bass), and family friend Bela Salazar (guitar), they built their reputation at all-ages matinees in Chinatown, playing with original L.A. punk bands like The Dils, Phranc, and Alley Cats.
They opened for Bikini Kill, Alice Bag, Best Coast, and Bleached and were featured in Amy Poehler’s movie, Moxie. During the pandemic, they self-released a four-song EP, created their own videos, and expanded their following beyond Los Angeles. Their performance of “Racist, Sexist Boy” for the Los Angeles Public Library in May 2021 brought them national attention.
With a wealth of new material written during the pandemic lockdown, The Linda Lindas recorded their first full-length album under the guidance of Grammy-winning producer Carlos de la Garza. Their debut album blends classic punk, post-punk, power pop, new wave, and other influences into catchy, timeless songs, each member contributing her unique style and energy.
The Linda Lindas released their debut album, Growing Up, in 2022 on Epitaph Records to widespread critical acclaim. The New York Times described it as “a combination of wholesome and fierce,” while Pitchfork called it “the most heartwarming record of the year.” Since its release, the band has performed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, CBS Mornings, Tiny Desk, and The Late Late Show with James Corden. They have also been featured in publications like Vogue, W Magazine, and The New York Times, and participated in fashion campaigns for Opening Ceremony and Rodarte.
This past weekend, The Linda Lindas opened for The Rolling Stones at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. At the end of the month, they’ll join another legendary band, Green Day, on The Saviors Tour. This tour celebrates the anniversaries of Green Day’s iconic albums Dookie and American Idiot. Rancid and Smashing Pumpkins will also be part of the tour, which kicks off on July 29 in Washington, DC, with stops in NYC, Chicago, Austin, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and more. Throughout the tour, The Linda Lindas will also be playing headline shows.
The band has had an eventful year, including appearing on The Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense tribute album and performing their rendition of “Found A Job” on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. They’ve also supported Blondie, The Breeders, and Paramore on their This is Why tour and played at festivals across the US, including Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Boston Calling.
Image: The Linda Lindas rocking a trio of Gibson instruments on a grand stage
What’s new for The Linda Lindas?
The Linda Lindas have announced their new album, No Obligation, set to release on October 11th through Epitaph. They’ve shared the single “All In My Head” and a psychedelic music video directed by James Wyatt to celebrate. Watch it here.
Lucia de la Garza, who wrote and sang on the song, says, “It has the most indie vibes we’ve ever had since it was written on an acoustic guitar. Recording it was really fun, with lots of dancing in the studio. ‘All In My Head’ was inspired by a book character from My Year of Rest and Relaxation, which I read on tour last summer. Writing from this perspective took us out of our comfort zone and felt like a break from reality, something we don’t usually explore.”
We caught up with The Linda Lindas to find out more.
How would you describe your music?
Eloise says, “Sometimes it’s more melodic, sometimes it’s more raw—doesn’t matter as long as it’s genuine and fun for us!”
What is your favorite piece of gear?
Bela says, “I got my Les Paul™ a couple of months ago, and I love how hot the pickups are—it’s fun to rip solos on! Sometimes I like to hop around like Angus Young, who plays an SG™!”
“My Thunderbird™ has a mighty sound,” adds Eloise.
Lucia relates, “I play an SG now because not only is it easy to run around with because of how light it is. It gives an extra boost to the sound that adds to the whole energy and rounds out the whole performance.”
What has been the highlight of your musical career so far?
Mila says, “We just played SoFi Stadium with The Rolling Stones! That was huge.”
Lucia explains, “We’ve gotten so many opportunities for so much fun stuff! Opening for our favorite artists, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Paramore, Jawbreaker, and Blondie are definitely some of the highlights.”
Eloise offers, “Playing and attending shows, and making friends. I love how I can go to a show as a fan and leave as a peer. And the best part about touring and performing is talking to other bands and seeing them play.
“The times we’ve played the Smell, we’ve gotten to see Kuromy, Sick Burn, and Neighborhood Brats! At our Coachella stage, we saw Soul Glo, Horsegirl, Scowl, Bratty, Destroy Boys, and the Breeders!
“Then, at Mosswood, we met Twompsax, and now—I can’t believe—we’re playing with Johnny Maraca and the Marockers and Wifey at Gilman.
“I am so in love with the community music has built me, and can’t wait to see what’s to come.”
What would be your dream artist or producer collaboration, and why?
Eloise discloses, “I owe a lot of what I know on bass to recordings of Kathy Valentine—wouldn’t it be wild to open for The Go-Go’s?”
What does being part of the Gibson Artist Spotlight program mean to you?
Lucia says, “I think it’s so cool how much history Gibson has in the music world, but that doesn’t mean they’re not excited about embracing new artists as well, and we’re so happy to have that support and community with them.”
What’s next on the horizon for you?
Mila tells us, “We have a new album coming out on October 11! We’ve been working on it for what feels like forever, and we’re just super excited for y’all to hear it.”
Eloise adds, “And we’ll keep having fun.”
Find out more about the Gibson Artist Spotlight program and visit The Linda Lindas profile.
