How the Linda Lindas is speaking to the moment

“Racist, sexist boy! / You are a racist, sexist boy!” These fiery lyrics catapulted the Linda Lindas, a Los Angeles–based, teenage punk girl group, into the spotlight last year. In the viral YouTube video of them performing “Racist, Sexist Boy,” which now has more than a million views, the bandmates, all under 18, rock out in a public library—their commanding energy made up of equal parts angst and confidence. 

The four musicians are sisters Lucia (14) and Mila (11) de la Garza; their cousin Eloise Wong (13); and friend Bela Salazar (17). They wrote “Racist, Sexist Boy” about a boy in Mila’s class. Back in March 2020, just as the pandemic was making global headlines, Mila remembers him telling her that his father instructed him to stay away from Chinese people. They created the song shortly after as a response to him, as well as the increasing incidents of anti-Asian violence that were being reported at the time. “It’s an angry song, but instead of getting in a fight with the person, we found a healthier way to express our feelings,” Mila says of the song, though they didn’t expect it to go viral. “It was an important song and we wanted to get that message out, but we didn’t expect it to blow up.”

The bandmates were thrust into the spotlight after the video went live, but the first show they played together was part of the Girlschool L.A. festival, where they got to meet and play with Karen O. They have since gone on to pick up further momentum, including a spot on Jimmy Kimmel Live!—no biggie. Their rapid rise in popularity is not a mystery: Despite being young teens, their music has a clear, strong voice and punchy lyrics that prove they’re wise beyond their years—to the listener anyway. “I don’t know about our being wise,” says Eloise, “but we just care about the world around us.”  

Many of the group’s songs prove their ability to speak to the moment. Their single “Vote” was released last year around the US presidential election. In it, Eloise sings, “You can’t just sit on the side / You’re just wasting our time!” They wrote the song because “we weren’t old enough to vote—we still aren’t!—so we wanted to encourage people who were old enough to vote,” says Eloise. Other times they just have fun with their music. “Claudia Kishi” is an upbeat ode to the fictional character in The Baby-Sitters Club. The lyrics go, “She’s not afraid to wear all pink! / She don’t care what people think!”

Despite being so young, the bandmates agree they’re growing up in a strange world, so it’s only natural for them to take notice of political or social issues around them. “It’s so hard to feel like you can do something about the problems that are in the world,” says Lucia. “There’s a sense of helplessness a lot of the time, and it’s really hard to get through that—especially at our age. Music goes right to your heart, and it’s something that everyone can relate to.” 

This weekend in L.A., the group performed at their biggest venue to date: the Heads in the Clouds festival at the Rose Bowl. “It was really fun to see all those people rocking out to the songs that we love to rock out to,” says Bela. For the show, the four girls were dressed in special looks by Opening Ceremony’s Humberto Leon, who is a big fan and supporter of the band. “Their songs are great stories, and they also have a purpose that people of all ages can relate to,” says Leon, who put them in youthful dresses and separates in colourful prints. “There’s definitely an energy to them and their music, so I just wanted the clothing to compliment them. There is also an individuality to all four of them, which I love—they brought life to the clothes.”  

“It felt very us—like things we would actually wear,” says Bela. “We’re huge Opening Ceremony fans. I grew up going to the store in New York, so it was a really cool, full-circle moment.” Like their music, the girls all have a strong fashion point of view both on and off the stage. “On a daily basis, our style is completely different,” adds Bela. “But for shows, we get to mix all our styles into one, which is really cool.” When performing, they say they all love vintage, “big collars,” shoulder pads, and bold colours and patterns. Their favourite vintage shops in L.A. include Kiki Stash, Leader of the Pack Vintage, and Goodwill. 

Looking ahead, you can expect the Linda Lindas to release new music and videos (all this while balancing school, of course). “We’re just having a lot of fun figuring out what we want to really sound like,” says Lucia. “Right now we can kind of do whatever we want!” Their big goals for 2022? They want to perform internationally and continue playing shows. “We also want to try at least three boba places everywhere we visit,” says Bela. Wherever they are, they’ll be bringing that signature punk attitude with them. “Punk is whatever you want it to be,” says Eloise. “Punk is where you can talk about things that are important to you, and when you feel like you need to be heard. You can do it with yourself or the people you love.” Lucia agrees: “Punk also allows you to make mistakes, and to be able to get onstage and go wild!”

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