David Byrne Gives Rare Insight into the 'Joy' of His Relationship with Daughter Malu (Exclusive)

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The musician speaks to PEOPLE in this week's issue about his latest Broadway production and history with the Talking Heads

David Byrne may be a rock icon who’s still busy creating new projects — but he attributes a great deal of his happiness to being a dad.

The former Talking Heads frontman, 71, whose latest musical Here Lies Love premiered last month on Broadway, opens up to PEOPLE in this week’s issue about his love for his family.

“Most of the joy comes from just seeing Malu be excited about what she’s doing,” the musician says of his daughter, Malu Abeni Valentine Byrne, whom he welcomed in 1989 with then-wife Adelle Lutz.

Related: David Byrne Says He 'Regrets' How He Handled Talking Heads Breakup and Reveals Where Band Stands Now (Exclusive)

His daughter now works as a jewelry designer, and the “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)” singer couldn’t be more proud that she also pursued a creative career.

“For a father, that’s really wonderful,” he says of seeing Malu, 34, find her own path.

Although, that wasn’t always the case. Byrne says, “When she first went to college, I think my influence was almost negative in that she wanted to go to a fashion school to learn the business. She said, 'I don’t want to be an artist.'"

The Grammy winner adds, “But then she realized, 'Oh, you have to learn accounting and all this stuff.' Then she said, 'Maybe the creative side isn’t so bad.'"

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<p>Courtesy Malu Bryne</p> David Byrne and his grandson Bo

Courtesy Malu Bryne

David Byrne and his grandson Bo

Byrne shares that he also continues to be inspired by his 5-year-old grandson, Bo. “[He's] exploring and discovering the world," the rock legend says.

The songwriter has yet to play his own music for his grandson, but he explains that Malu has exposed him to it before. He says, “He hears some of my music from my daughter, but I’ll make up songs and sing them to him and see what he likes.”

For more on David Byrne, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere now.

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