Bomba de Luz singer Lydia Liza will be defending a film on May 21 at the Trylon Microcinema. Which film? You won't find out until you're in your seat and the lights go down.

In the Trylon's "Defenders" series, each month a Minnesota public figure is picked to chose a surprise film to show and then defend his or her choice. Previous "Defenders" have included Jeremy Messersmith, the Current's Jay Gabler, Euan Kerr of MPR News, and numerous members of the local film community.

Lydia can't disclose which movie she's chosen, but she says it's one of her guilty pleasure movies. “I didn’t want to pick an actually bad movie,” Lydia said. “I think I picked it because it was one of my films from my childhood.”

Movies weren’t always Lydia’s favorite thing: growing up, she preferred to read. The emotions were too much to handle, she said, or halfway through a movie she would get bored. Now, she enjoys emerging herself into a movie completely.

“I love becoming a part of the movie," she said. They "touch on every sense.”

Among Lydia's favorite films (besides the one she chose for May 21) are The Invisible, a movie about a man who is stuck in limbo after he was attacked, and Requiem for a Dream, which follows four people and their struggle with drug addiction.

Lydia said she enjoys films that are depressing but also beautiful, because she can watch how people work through their struggles. “I’m so interested in the human mind; watching someone struggle in a film and get through things is always so cool for me,” she said.

The movie Lydia chose for the Defenders, she said, includes her favorite film soundtrack. “I love it when I hear one of my favorite songs in [a] movie. It’s always fun,” she said. “I have found a lot of my favorite songs in movies.”

Joe Hisaishi, an anime composer, has influenced Lydia’s music: she's written songs based on Hisaishi’s style of chord progressions.

Lydia has auditioned to be in films and has not ruled out being on camera, even though she enjoys working behind the scenes. “The thing that I like about music is that you can be pretty behind-the-scenes and I’ve always said that I’d rather be a voice than a super-public figure.”

If you have the power to influence, take advantage of that and send a good message, Lydia adds. Half of the proceeds from ticket sales for her Defenders appearance will be donated to Tubman Family Crisis and Support Services. The Minneapolis organization provides shelter, counseling, classes, and legal help to women, children, and families who are struggling with relationship violence, substance abuse, and mental health.

“I really admire what they do,” Lydia said.

Bomba de Luz is releasing a music video for “Be Minor” soon and are currently working on their third studio album, which they're aiming to release this summer. In the meantime, you can listen to the band's 2012 session in the Current studios. Tickets ($8) for Lydia's Defenders appearance are available at take-up.org.

Kayla Culver is studying multimedia journalism and public relations at Concordia College. Once she graduates she will be pursuing a career as a music journalist. She blogs irregularly at chameleonears.com.