The Linda Lindas is an American rock band from Los Angeles.[4][6] The all-female group comprises Bela Salazar, Eloise Wong, and sisters Lucia and Mila de la Garza.[2][3]

The Linda Lindas
(L–R) Lucia de la Garza, Eloise Wong, Mila de la Garza, and Bela Salazar performing in 2022
(L–R) Lucia de la Garza, Eloise Wong, Mila de la Garza, and Bela Salazar performing in 2022
Background information
OriginLos Angeles, California, United States
GenresPop-punk,[1][2][3] punk rock,[4][3] riot grrrl[3]
DiscographyThe Linda Lindas discography
Years active2018–present
LabelsEpitaph[5]
Members
  • Bela Salazar
  • Eloise Wong
  • Lucia de la Garza
  • Mila de la Garza
Websitewww.thelindalindas.com Edit this at Wikidata

The band formed in 2018, and took their name from Linda Linda Linda, a Japanese film. After being noticed by director Amy Poehler, they recorded the soundtrack for her film Moxie, which was released in 2021. Later that year, they released the single "Racist, Sexist Boy", which went viral. Epitaph Records signed them shortly afterwards.

In 2022, they released their debut album, Growing Up, and received mostly positive reviews.

History

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2018–2020: Formation and EPs

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In January 2018, Eloise Wong's father Martin Wong was contacted by an acquaintance, asking if she would be interested in playing alongside Kristin Kontrol and a bunch of "inexperienced kids" for a performance at a music festival called Girlschool LA,[7] after seeing pictures and videos of her singing at Save Music in Chinatown. Martin then suggested Lucia and Mila de la Garza, daughters of his sister Angelyn Wong and brother-in-law Carlos de la Garza, since the three of them often sang, danced and performed together since they were toddlers; Carlos, who owned a backyard studio, took up the position of a second coach. After Kontrol recruited more children through social media and the first round of rehearsals were held, Angelyn and Martin's wife Wendy Lau reached out to the girls' family friend Bela Salazar, who was taking guitar lessons, to join in, thinking that they needed someone who could play an instrument.[8] Originally, it was intended to be a one-off project, but a few months later, Salazar was invited to open a show for Frieda's Roses, and engaged Eloise, Lucia and Mila to be her backing band.[9]

Feeling that the band needed a name, Martin, who had bought a DVD of 2005 Japanese film Linda Linda Linda,[4] (in turn named after the Blue Hearts song "Linda Linda"[10]), suggested The Linda Lindas, feeling that it "sounded like a band from the '50s but could also refer to the Japanese punk song or art movie, or simply mean 'really pretty' in Spanish", to which the girls agreed.[9] By fall, they were playing Save Music in Chinatown matinee gigs alongside artists such as Phranc, the Dils, the Gears, and the Alley Cats, and other shows with bands such as Best Coast, Alice Bag, and Bleached.

After Amy Poehler watched the Linda Lindas open for Bikini Kill on April 26, 2019, at the Hollywood Palladium, she had them record songs for her film Moxie.[11] In 2020, the Linda Lindas wrote a song for Netflix documentary The Claudia Kishi Club, titled "Claudia Kishi", after the Japanese-American character in Ann M. Martin's novel series The Baby-Sitters Club.[12][13]

2021–2022: "Racist, Sexist Boy" and Growing Up

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In May 2021, the Los Angeles Public Library posted a video of the band playing "Racist, Sexist Boy" at a "TEENtastic Tuesdays" event.[12] The song was about an experience Mila de la Garza, the band's drummer, had when a schoolmate made a racist comment before the COVID-19 pandemic.[14] The video became a viral social media hit, earning praise from Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello, Red Hot Chili Peppers's Flea,[12] Thurston Moore,[15] Bikini Kill's Kathleen Hanna,[14] and Kid Cudi.[16] Author Viet Thanh Nguyen said "'Racist, Sexist Boy' is the song we need now".[14] On May 22, Epitaph Records announced that it had signed the Linda Lindas,[5][17] in a deal which they had been working on since before the video went viral.[18]

On June 3, 2021, the band made their late night television debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live.[19][20] On July 21, 2021, the band released the single "Oh!" with an accompanying music video.[21] The song also was featured in the trailer released for the Netflix series The Chair,[21] which was released that same day. The song was also played for the outro of series 1 episode 5 of The Imperfects.[22] On February 1, 2022, the band announced their release date of their debut album, Growing Up, alongside the release of the single of the same name.[23] Growing Up was released on April 8, 2022, to generally positive reviews.[24] The track "Racist, Sexist Boy" was nominated for Best Song at the 2022 Kerrang! Awards.[25]

2023–present: Further events, touring and No Obligation

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The band performed at the 22nd Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2023[26] and at the 95th Scripps National Spelling Bee in May 2023 in Maryland where they were the first to ever perform at the event. The band opened for Paramore on the This Is Why Tour.[27]

The Linda Lindas' song "Growing Up" was featured on the soundtrack for Inside Out 2. On July 13, 2024, the band opened for the Rolling Stones at SoFi Stadium, as part of their Hackney Diamonds Tour. On July 16, the band released the single "All in My Head" as the first teaser from their second album No Obligation.[28] The band opened for Green Day, along with the Smashing Pumpkins, during the Saviors Tour. They premiered the second song off the album, "Yo Me Estreso", at the Chicago show on August 13, 2024, and was released the next day.

They were guest stars from children's television, Yo Gabba Gabbaland. They played Little Ants and performed Happy to be Little.

In October 2024, the band announced their 2025 North American Tour, with concerts during March and April.[29]

Band members

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The band consists of Eloise Wong (bass, guitars, vocals), Bela Salazar (guitars, vocals), Lucia de la Garza (guitar, vocals), and Mila de la Garza (drums, vocals).[12] Lucia and Mila are sisters and are the daughters of music engineer and producer Carlos de la Garza.[30] Eloise's father is Martin Wong, co-founder of Giant Robot; Eloise is also a cousin of Lucia and Mila.[5] The band members' stage names, birth dates, and roles are as follows:[31][32]

List of band members, with name, stage name, birth date and age, and role
Name Stage name Birth date (age) Role
Bela Salazar Linda Linda No. 1 (2004-09-16) September 16, 2004 (age 20) Guitarist, vocalist
Eloise Wong Linda Linda No. 2 (2008-02-11) February 11, 2008 (age 16) Bassist, vocalist
Lucia de la Garza Linda Linda No. 3 (2007-01-14) January 14, 2007 (age 17) Guitarist, vocalist
Mila de la Garza Linda Linda No. 4 (2010-08-15) August 15, 2010 (age 14) Drummer, vocalist

Timeline

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Discography

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Studio albums

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Tours

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  • 2025 North American Tour (2025)

Filmography

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Film performances

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Television performances

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Awards and nominations

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Awards and nominations received by the Linda Lindas
Award Year[a] Nominee/work Category Result Ref.
Libera Awards 2022 "Racist, Sexist Boy" Best Punk Record Won [34]
Kerrang! Awards 2022 Best Song Nominated [35]
Guild of Music Supervisors Awards 2024 "Little Bit O' Soul" Best Song Written and/or Recording Created for a Film Nominated [36]

Explanatory notes

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  1. ^ Indicates the year of ceremony. Each year is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.

References

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  1. ^ Bell, Sadie (May 13, 2022). "The Linda Lindas Are the Next Great Punk Band". Thrillist. Archived from the original on July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Andrade, Sofia (June 4, 2021). "Punk Was Never Just for White Dudes". Slate. Archived from the original on June 4, 2021. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d Hurst, Josh (April 11, 2022). "The Linda Lindas, Growing Up". Flood. Archived from the original on April 13, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c Gotrich, Lars (May 21, 2021). "What's More Punk Than Teens Screaming In A Public Library?". NPR. Archived from the original on May 21, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Aswad, Jem (May 22, 2021). "The Linda Lindas Sign With Epitaph Records". Variety. Archived from the original on May 22, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
  6. ^ Jaworski, Michelle (May 21, 2021). "'This is about him and all of the other racist, sexist boys': Teen punks the Linda Lindas destroy at the public library". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on May 22, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
  7. ^ Spanos, Brittany (May 21, 2021). "Watch Teen Punk Band the Linda Lindas Ether 'Racist Sexist Boy' in Scorching Library Concert". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 21, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  8. ^ Wong, Martin (February 6, 2018). "Kristin Kontrol presents Color + The Kids at Girlschool 2018". By Martin Wong. Archived from the original on February 11, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Wong, Martin (February 16, 2020). "Hello, Linda Lindas!". By Martin Wong. Archived from the original on February 11, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  10. ^ The Linda Lindas – Mini-Set for Operation: Creative Freedom on YouTube
  11. ^ a b Nugent, Annabel (April 10, 2022). "The Linda Lindas: Meet the punk-powered school girls rising to rock's feminist forefront". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on May 4, 2022. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
  12. ^ a b c d Bosselman, Haley (May 20, 2021). "The Linda Lindas' Library Performance of 'Racist, Sexist Boy' Hailed by Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello". Variety. Archived from the original on May 21, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  13. ^ "The Linda Lindas: About Us". Archived from the original on May 21, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  14. ^ a b c Hawkins, Derek (May 21, 2021). "Teen rockers fire back at anti-Asian comments with a viral punk anthem: 'Racist, Sexist Boy'". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
  15. ^ Zhang, Cat (May 25, 2021). "The Linda Lindas Are More Than Just a Viral Punk Band". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on May 25, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  16. ^ Idibly, Leia (May 21, 2021). "'HOLY SH*T YES': Teenage AAPI Punk Rock Band Goes Viral for Performance of 'Racist, Sexist Boy'". Mediaite. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  17. ^ Richards, Will (May 23, 2021). "Viral teen punk band The Linda Lindas sign record deal with Epitaph". NME. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  18. ^ Speer, Debbie (September 6, 2022). "The Linda Lindas: Bringing Punk Rock To A New Generation". Pollstar. Archived from the original on February 8, 2024. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  19. ^ Hatfield, Amanda (May 27, 2021). "The Linda Lindas make Epitaph signing official, playing Jimmy Kimmel Live". Brooklyn Vegan. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
  20. ^ a b Young, Alex (June 4, 2021). "The Linda Lindas Rip Through "Racist, Sexist Boy" on Kimmel: Watch". Consequence of Sound. Archived from the original on June 4, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  21. ^ a b Nazareno, Mia (July 21, 2021). "The Linda Lindas Follow Up 'Racist, Sexist Boy' With New Song 'Oh!'". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 21, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  22. ^ Shanfield, Ethan (July 21, 2021). "HBO's 'Obama: In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union' to Debut in August (TV News Roundup)". Variety. Archived from the original on July 21, 2021. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  23. ^ Hussey, Allison (February 1, 2022). "The Linda Lindas announce new album Growing Up, share video for new song: Watch". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  24. ^ "Growing Up by the Linda Lindas". Metacritic. April 8, 2022. Archived from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  25. ^ "Vote now in the Kerrang! Awards 2022". Kerrang!. June 23, 2022. Archived from the original on May 18, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  26. ^ "Coachella 2023 Weekend 2 Lineup & Schedule: All the Set Times You Need to Know". Pitchfork. April 21, 2023. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  27. ^ "The Linda Lindas Deliver Scripps National Spelling Bee's First-Ever Musical Performance". Stereogum. May 30, 2023. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
  28. ^ "The Linda Lindas Preview 'No Obligation' LP With New Song". Rolling Stone. July 16, 2024.
  29. ^ Kaufman, Spencer (October 22, 2024). "The Linda Lindas Announce Spring 2025 North American Tour". Consequence. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  30. ^ Brown, August (May 23, 2021). "'Whoa, this is crazy': L.A. teen punks the Linda Lindas on going viral (just before finals)". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  31. ^ Kaufman, Gil (May 24, 2021). "Fierce All-Girl Teen Punk Band The Linda Lindas Fight Hate on Viral 'Racist, Sexist Boy'". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 24, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  32. ^ Swaragita, Gisela (May 24, 2021). "Punk rockers The Linda Lindas sign with Epitaph Records after viral video". The Jakarta Post. Archived from the original on May 24, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  33. ^ Lane, Kwase. "The Linda Lindas perform 'Oh!' on 'The Tonight Show'—watch". Alternative Press Magazine. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  34. ^ Grein, Paul (June 17, 2022). "Japanese Breakfast, Arlo Parks & More Win Big at 2022 A2IM Libera Awards (Full List)". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 12, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  35. ^ "Vote now in the Kerrang! Awards 2022". Kerrang!. May 18, 2022. Archived from the original on May 18, 2022. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  36. ^ Grein, Paul (March 4, 2024). "Barbie Wins Big at 2024 Guild of Music Supervisors Awards: Full Winners List". Billboard. Retrieved July 1, 2024.

See also

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