Despite fighting with a sinus infection, rising indie-rock star Indigo De Souza commanded the Hub at UC Santa Barbara last week with gut-wrenching intimacy. De Souza took the stage accompanied only by her guitar, and confessed this is the second solo show she has played in nearly a decade.
The Asheville, North Carolina-native released her third record, All of This Will End, at the end of last month. With heavy themes of growing up and letting go, it is no surprise De Souza’s newest release struck the college students’ heartstrings with songs that actively toe the blurred line between adulthood and adolescence. Yet, due to the absence of her band and poor health, De Souza was unable to play the upbeat, synth-dominated singles from All of This Will End such as “You Can Be Mean,” and “Smog.”
However, this opened the door for audience members to take control of the setlist, successfully requesting hits from her previous records like “Good Heart” and “Kill Me,” by holding up phone screens displaying song titles. She refuted requests for more complex and demanding songs by simply stating, “I honestly don’t know how to play that.” The crowd seemed understanding of De Souza’s situation and were happy to merely be in her presence, vocally assuring her she could do anything and they’d be happy.
