David Lindes
David Lindes is an independent singer-songwriter originally from Guatemala City, Guatemala, and currently resides in Salt Lake City, Utah. He graduated from Brigham Young University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Latin American Studies. He speaks Spanish and English with native proficiency and Italian with elementary proficiency.
His genre of music is Latin Alternative. Some artists that have influenced his music include Silvio Rodriguez, Paul Simon, Ray Charles, Juan Luis Guerra, Ricardo Arjona, The Beatles, Jorge Drexler, Charly Patton, Novalima, and Quetzal.
His self-titled debut album was released June 1st, 2014, on the CD Baby label. In creating the album, he borrowed from Southern Mexican, Caribbean, and Brazilian traditions, adding a strong dose of Americana and subtle electronic elements to tell stories about love and the border. The album consists of 11 tracks – 5 in English, 5 in Spanish, and the last track, “No Woman, No Cry,” in both English and Spanish.
The themes for David’s songs come from his personal experiences, having immigrated to the United States from Guatemala with his mother and older sister as a child. He sings about immigration as both an act of heroism and hope, as well as, an act of violence or what he describes as “a brutal break with your past, your family, and yourself.”
For his version of Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry,” he sings from the perspective of a migrant farm worker somewhere in the United States who is thinking about his wife and children in Mexico, promising to someday return to them. The song “Mi Tierra” (My Land), an infectious, upbeat song, conveys the complex sense of ownership and belonging immigrants fight to develop in their new countries.
The album’s overall focus on immigration lends itself effortlessly to relatable statements about love. For example, the song “Si No Fuera Por Ti” (If It Weren’t for You) explores love’s ability to make a person feel at home. And the song “Tu y Yo” (You and I) is a celebration of love as an unlikely miracle.
The following statement from the About section of David’s Facebook page sums up his unique style of music: “From gently syncopated Latin ballads sung in English to Delta Blues-tinged anthems about migration and social change, the rhythms and languages combine to capture a bi-cultural world where identity is hard to define and a sense of home is always in flux.”
Follow David Lindes
Recent Posts
Susan Evans McCloud Recounts the Story Behind the Hymn, “Lord, I Would Follow Thee”
Susan Evans McCloud, the lyricist of the beloved hymn, “Lord, I Would Follow Thee” (Hymns, no. 220), says that while she was writing the hymn one of the things that she learned is that the Lord’s timing is not our timing, and His ways are not our ways. He often has a...
The Bonner Family Released Soul-Stirring Music Video “Child of God” from “Jane and Emma” Movie
On Tuesday, 18 September 2018, 10 members of the multitalented Bonner family released a soul-stirring music video of the song “Child of God” from the upcoming movie, Jane and Emma. The movie premiers in select theaters on 12 October 2018. It is the story of two women...
Micah Harmon Shares Message of Serving Others and Fighting for What We Believe In
On Saturday, 15 September 2018, Micah Harmon of the world-renowned One Voice Children’s Choir released a music video on his YouTube channel which is a mashup of Rachel Platten’s “Fight Song” and two LDS missionary songs – “Called to Serve” and “I Hope They Call Me on...
Music in the Key of Life: JTM Opens Up About Being Abused as a Child in New Music Video
On 9 September 2018, JTM (formerly known as James The Mormon), released what is perhaps his most vulnerable music video to date. The video called “I Could Be Wrong,” is a depiction of his own abuse as a child. JTM says in the video description, “The first 17 years of...
Music in the Key of Life: “For the Love of a Blue-Eyed Boy”
This is the heartwarming, awe-inspiring backstory of the beautiful song "For the Love of a Blue-Eyed Boy" written by Mary Hiett. Mary is also the author of this article. This song is dedicated to this mother, and mothers and fathers everywhere who Foster Care and hope...
Music in the Key of Life – “Farewell September” (Noelle’s Theme)
This article was written by Mary Hiett. The song "Farewell September" is from her album Notes from the Heart. September always causes me to think of the very first song that I composed. The song that opened the front door of my heart, so I could go in and...