Mala Gaonkar to Wed David Byrne This Week, Instrumental Dinner Playlist Shared

New York, September 3, 2025 - Indian-American hedge-fund manager and philanthropist Mala Gaonkar is set to marry her partner, former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne, later this week, Byrne announced via his Instagram Stories on Monday. In the brief post - which has since disappeared - Byrne, 73, revealed that he and Gaonkar, 55, will wed imminently and unveiled a nearly two-and-a-half-hour, 42-track instrumental playlist curated for their wedding dinner.

Byrne explained his choice of music: “My sense is that words and lyrics can be distracting - the ear goes to them, especially if it’s a song one knows. So, I opted for buoyant instrumentals that will create a hopeful and joyous atmosphere… and that folks can also ignore at the same time.”

The playlist spans a diverse array of artists and styles, featuring luminaries such as Brian Eno, Herbie Hancock, Jeff Beck and T Bone Burnett, alongside vibrant Latin selections by El Alfa, Mexican Institute of Sound, Meridian Brothers and Son Rompe Pera. Byrne described the dinner soundtrack as “amazing and spicy,” designed to accompany what he promises will be “an amazing…and spicy dinner.”

Gaonkar - founder and CEO of SurgoCap Partners and co-founder of the Surgo Foundation - and Byrne first collaborated artistically on an immersive theater performance in 2016 and reunited for another project in 2022. Their engagement was subtly revealed in mid-August when Byrne referred to Gaonkar as his “fiancée” during an interview about his upcoming album, Who Is The Sky?.

Byrne’s announcement coincides with the imminent release of Who Is The Sky? on September 5 and precedes the launch of his North American tour on September 14 in Providence, Rhode Island.

Looking ahead, Byrne and Gaonkar are expected to celebrate their union privately before Byrne resumes his public commitments, including performances across the U.S., Australia and Europe through 2026.

• End of Report -