Reconciling life’s grim inevitabilities — frustration, loneliness and, at the end of it all, death — might not project as the most inspirational topics for many songwriters.

Yet Indigo De Souza has explored these notions to remarkable effect on her first few albums and, with one of the most exquisite voices in all indie rock, has established herself as a creative power to behold and to be heard.

The 26-year-old brought her band to Ottobar in Baltimore not too long ago and performed an eye-opening 15 songs to a sold-out, fervent downstairs room at the storied North Howard Street venue.

Across a set that featured most of the tracks from Indigo’s 2023 release All of This Will End, it was a rewarding evening for the impassioned fans who’d waited in line the night of Feb. 24 and shared in their excitement to see this on-the-rise songwriter and multi-instrumentalist out of Asheville.

Listen to Indigo De Souza’s latest album, All of This Will End, via Spotify:

She’s played some legendary stages, like the Newport Folk Festival last summer, but the visit was De Souza’s first time at Ottobar, and the bandleader even had to take a moment to appreciate the unique design that has hosted countless unforgettable shows put on by a long list of national and regional acts.

“This is fun … people sitting up there,” she smiled, gesturing to those seated above her on the narrow, compact balcony that runs perpendicular to the stage.

De Souza was joined by Landon George on bass, Lila Richardson (ORRE) on drums, and Maddie Shuler (The Dead Tongues, Night Walks), who played electric guitar, lap steel and keys, and Indigo’s comfort alongside these friends made for an authentic and intimate experience.

While her music might have a reputation for tackling the risqué, what would have entranced any unfamiliar ticketholder last weekend was Indigo’s stunning vocal abilities.

Indigo’s mother is an outspoken artist who still paints the cover art for her daughter’s albums; De Souza’s father is a Brazilian guitarist. Indigo was raised mostly by her mom, and her upbringing in a small town in North Carolina — including music lessons at an early age and a four-track recorder her mom purchased for her use — clearly helped her discover a voice and a vision.

Though her view of life is stark, anguish takes only a fleeting role in her writing, as she tends to overcome darkness in her songs that spiral a curious path to her own vivid discharge or unshackling. Across her three albums, all released on Saddle Creek, De Souza’s used dreamy sonnets and crashing verses to establish her own distinct sound at a time when doing so is increasingly difficult.

In Baltimore, what began with the single “Be My Love” carried through on some of the most lasting pieces from her newest album, as Indigo showed a mastery of her own uncommon intonation on the title track and others like “Not My Body” and the album’s agonizing closer, “Younger and Dumber.”

Watch the official music video for Indigo De Souza’s “Younger & Dumber” via the artist’s YouTube channel:

But the night showed her range, too, in the form of smashing, angry tracks, like the furious “Always.” “Smog,” released as a single from the new record, served as a compelling example of what Indigo achieves with a deliberate pop effort. She and her crew closed it out with one her most popular and provocative tunes, “Kill Me” from 2021’s Any Shape You Take.

Whatever direction her sound might move, De Souza’s expressed her desire to enjoy the best moments life has to offer, especially at her own shows. This past weekend at Ottobar, she cherished the opportunity to play to a group of fans who shouted their praise and endorsements and made sure to invite her and her band back to the Charm City.

Indigo De Souza Setlist

Be My Love
All of This Will End
Wasting Your Time
Parking Lot
Bad Dream
Kissing People
Smog
You Can Be Mean
Good Heart
Be Like the Water
Not My Body
Always
Shit Together
Younger & Dumber
Kill Me

Truth Club Setlist

Uh Oh
Siphon
It’s Time
Blue Eternal
Running From The Chase
Tethering
Clover
77x
Suffer Debt
Is This Working?

Here are images of Indigo De Souza along with the night’s opening act, Truth Club, performing at Ottobar in Baltimore the night of Feb. 24, 2024. All photos copyright and courtesy of Casey Ryan Vock.

Indigo De Souza

Truth Club