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Indigo De Souza @ Village Underground, Live Review

Misha Haddad

Indigo de Souza, an Asheville native of Brazilian decent, hails from the vibrant and experimental North Carolina music scene. From her debut EP “Boys” in 2016, Indigo has created a narrative of self-love and sexual expression, and her music invites listeners to take that journey of introspection with her. Misha Haddad reviews.


Monday the 26th of June was my first time visiting Village Underground in Shoreditch. A rustic venue of exposed brick and high ceilings, it oozed artistic ingenuity and authenticity, and I couldn’t think of a more perfect venue to house Indigo’s immaculate set. Although all of her tracks share her distinct vocals, she navigates multiple genres though her work including indie punk rock, slower acoustic melodies, and experimental lo-fi. I had no prior knowledge of what her setlist would comprise of, so I was ready for the ride I was about to embark on.

I had missed my train and I feared the worst. Determined to not miss any of the show, I sprinted (to the best of my ability) the kilometre from the station to the venue. Upon arrival I realised my overworked and sweaty being was completely out of place in the crowd of relaxed and smiley concert-goers. I read a sign on the door; Indigo would be delayed by half an hour, destiny perhaps. I used the extra time to get a drink with my friend and compose myself.

The singer-songwriter opened the night with the song “Darker than Death” from her second album. “Was it something I said? You left me crushed”; the pain and shudder as Indigo more spoke these words than sang left a melancholic impression on the crowd. The hurt still felt fresh from Indigo and this set the tone for the next hour; this was going to be no Watermelon Sugar.

The audience echoed their feelings sadness with slow swaying and head nodding, almost confirming and approving the feelings of the artist that were being presented before them. I had never experienced such a harmonious audience.

I was used to shoving and fighting but being present in this bubble created by the music was a safe space. People were crying and their peers were checking in on them; there was beauty in the shared pain. De Souza's unique brand of musical charm was on full display in her performance. Here, the 500-capacity venue wasn't simply a brick-laden structure but an intimate space where both the performer and the audience were free to explore the breadth of human feelings.


A timid presence initially, Indigo soon warmed up and started engaging with the audience in between songs. She mentioned that this was the first time that the ensemble comprising of drums, lead guitar, bass, and Indigo on vocals and rhythm guitar had performed together due to last minute complications. The setlist that she had curated were the only songs the band had actually learned to play together. A noble feat and one that came as a surprise to me as the performance was extremely polished. Ironically given the heavy topics of her music, Indigo performed with a smile on her face throughout and I had never heard such an amazing vocal performance. The enjoyment she exuded on stage was infectious and her transitions from her chest voice to her head voice were seamless and effortless; the vocal control she displayed was mesmerizing. There were no jarring notes and on “Not my body” where she finishes the song with nearly a minute of vocalising I could do nothing but stare in awe at the sheer talent being displayed on the stage in front of me. Her long vocal harmonies never felt too long or too much; she is the only artist I’ve heard that sounds fuller and more rounded live compared to her studio recordings.

De Souza possesses an uncanny ability to dissect the convoluted maze of personal relationships with both honesty and artful story-telling. Even my friend, who has never heard of her or even this style of music, left with a tear in his eye, and t


here is no higher compliment to an artist than that.


Misha Haddad

 

Edited by Olivia Hannant, Photo Courtesy of Writer

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