Indigo De Souza isn’t afraid to lay it all out there, and she proved it during her Songbyrd set on September 21st. As part of her tour for her sophomore album, Any Shape You Take, she braved Songbyrd’s new location at Union Market and took it by storm, mesmerizing and charming the crowd with her infectious smile, catchy melodies and unfiltered emotion.
I’ll admit it. I’m an Indigo De Souza fangirl. I discovered her first album, I Love My Mom, right after being sent from college, and I can’t tell you the amount of times I walked around my block angstily blasting “Take Off Ur Pants” on repeat. She was singing things that seemed scary to say out loud, but she did so with confidence and joy and that was something I admired. Seeing her in concert felt like a dream, the culmination of so many times where I felt like she was reading my mind. Her newest album, Any Shape You Take, somehow surpassed expectations and easily remains one of the most cathartic albums I’ve ever heard.
She started off her set with an unreleased song, “Younger and Dumber,” and although I didn’t know the lyrics, her authenticity and honesty carried throughout the space. She followed up with songs off of Any Shape You Take, and the crowd sang and danced along dutifully as she not only mourned but celebrated the death of relationship between two people who just can’t seem to stay afloat.
My favorite song of the night was “Real Pain.” In the recording, there is over a minute of jumbled noise and screaming, but during her performance it was just her laying it all out there, releasing the pain and emotions that get pushed down to make things work. It felt very Midsommar to be screaming in a crowd and feeling like I was in a community of people who understood. She switched quickly into the next stage of the song, singing, “I wanna kick/ wanna scream/ I wanna know its not my fault.” Her rawness and honesty makes her feel like a friend while also remaining the artist who is in touch with the words that I’ve struggled to say. Sometimes I am selfish and wrong, and that’s a part of me that I shouldn’t always ignore.
Between songs, Indigo would crack little jokes in a soft-spoken, sweet way. She radiated joy and acceptance, with a charming smile, glittery eyeshadow and a red M&M t-shirt. She also rocked out on stage, shredding with her metal guitar and her keyboard. There was something so intoxicating about her; she’s a born performer with an obvious passion for her craft.
Indigo De Souza will be back in DC on January 22 at Black Cat. Make sure to catch her by buying tickets here. Stream her newest album Any Shape You Take on Spotify here.
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