“In the early days, I might have gotten on stage and begun to sing as a desperate attempt to communicate, but now I found that singing was both a physical and emotional joy. It was sensuous, a pure pleasure, which didn't take away from the emotions being expressed—even if they were melancholic. Music can do that; you can enjoy singing about something sad.”

American musician, writer, visual artist, and filmmaker

David Byrne is an American musician, writer, visual artist, and filmmaker. He was born in Scotland and became widely known as a founding member of Talking Heads, where he served as the band’s principal songwriter, lead vocalist, and guitarist. His work spans several creative fields, but he is best known for shaping the sound and image of Talking Heads. Across music, writing, visual art, and film, Byrne has built a career that moves between performance and authorship, with songwriting at its center.