At the age of sixteen, Esthero moved from small town Harriston, Ontario on her own to Toronto, where she began singing at open-mic nights, a journey that in 1997 led to a meeting with the president of EMI Publishing Canada, whom she charmed so well during their first meeting that without hearing her sing a single note he was moved to set up and finance recording sessions with Doc, a guitarist and studio engineer. Their debut album, Breath from Another, was released to critical acclaim in 1998 and is widely seen as one of the more accessible albums of the trip-hop genre.
Though she remained active following the moderate success of the debut album, featuring on tracks by such artists as Nelly Furtado and The Black Eyed Peas, it would take over 7 years for a proper follow-up to be released (due to a confluence of factors that included a lengthy creative process, the closure of the WORK record label and marketing delays) in the form of 2005's Wikked Lil Grrrls, an album that crossed genre boundaries with its heavy debt to jazz and hip-hop. The album was preceded in 2004 by a pair of EPs, The O.G. Bitch Remixes (with the title song reaching Number 1 on the Billboard Dance Chart) and We R In Need of a Musical Revolution, which served as a preview of the full length album.
After the release of Wikked Lil Grrrls, Esthero devoted an increasing amount of time to songwriting and production, with her work featuring on albums by Brandy and Kanye West (most prominently on West's single Love Lockdown).
2012 saw the release of Esthero's third full-length album, Everything is Expensive (Universal Music Canada), preceded by the release of Never Gonna Let You Go as the lead single and video. The album was partially funded through a campaign on PledgeMusic in which backers could choose from exclusives such as artwork by the singer. Everything is Expensive debuted on Billboard's Heatseeker chart at #13.
Official Websites
www.esthero.net
Indigo Boy
Esthero Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I am the last of the followers, I have found my peace of mind
Indigo boy, my little indigo boy
Wouldn't have to run to you
Take the milk right from your mouth
Well, he's stealing your ball, my little indigo boy
(How can you take the words that way, they ask you
How can they take you away, to where he learned to fall?)
(He's too good to be mean, he's strange)
I could be what you want me to be (take me to the one)
That could be us, baby, we'll not fall away
Indigo boy, my little indigo boy
Wouldn't have to run to you
Take the milk right from your mouth
Well, he's stealing your ball, my little indigo boy
(It's your ball,) don't let them take it away
(You need it, everyday)
Indigo boy, my little indigo boy
Wouldn't have to run to you
Take the milk right from your mouth
Well, he's stealing your ball, my little indigo boy
Don't let them take it away (you need that shit, everyday)
(When I fall away, you'll look good at the edges)
The song "Indigo Boy" by Esthero is a contemplative piece about self-acceptance, individuality, and the pressures of conformity upon people. The lyrics express a sense of isolation and the idea of the singer being the last of her kind - the last person to dare to be different, to stick to their own path despite pressure from others. The term "indigo" is often associated with a group of individuals who are said to possess certain spiritual and psychic traits. In the song, it could refer to someone who is unique, individualistic, and not easily understood or accepted by society.
The song revolves around an "indigo boy," perhaps a reference to someone who is misunderstood or different from the singer's perspective. The phrase "take the milk right from your mouth" could imply that this person has been able to get what they want without struggle, or that they have a certain vulnerability that the singer is drawn to. The line "he's too good to be mean, he's strange" highlights the idea that being different from the norm is often seen as being strange or abnormal. The chorus repeats the same message - that the indigo boy is a source of comfort and refuge for the singer, and that he shouldn't let others take away what he has earned.
Overall, the song is a tribute to individuality and the struggles associated with being oneself in a world that often pressures individuals to conform. It encourages listeners to be true to their own path and embrace their uniqueness instead of trying to be what others expect them to be.
Line by Line Meaning
I am the last of the worshipers, I am the last of my kind
I am the final person to believe and follow certain ideals and values; I am unique and the last of my kind in doing so.
I am the last of the followers, I have found my peace of mind
I am the last one who has followed a certain path, and now I have come to a state of mental tranquility and serenity.
Indigo boy, my little indigo boy / Wouldn't have to run to you / Take the milk right from your mouth
Someone who is deeply important and valuable to me, my beloved 'indigo boy', who I don't have to chase after or compete with others to get what I need from them.
Well, he's stealing your ball, my little indigo boy / Don't let them take it away, everyday
Others are trying to take something that is important to that person, in this case, 'your ball.' I urge my precious 'indigo boy' to not let others take what is rightfully theirs.
(How can you take the words that way, they ask you / How can they take you away, to where he learned to fall?) / (He's too good to be mean, he's strange)
People question and criticize the way we see and understand things, and even try to take us away from the place where we learned and grew. However, they don't understand that we are kind and different, which makes us amazing.
I could be what you want me to be (take me to the one) / That could be us, baby, we'll not fall away
I am willing to change and become the person you want or need me to be, so let's be together and not drift apart.
(It's your ball,) don't let them take it away / (You need it, everyday)
Once again, the emphasis is to keep something important and valuable to oneself, and to not allow anyone else to take it away.
(When I fall away, you'll look good at the edges)
If I were to leave and no longer be present, you, my beloved 'indigo boy', would still manage and appear good even at the margins or periphery of things.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Anthem Entertainment
Written by: Martin Daniel Mc Kinney, Esthero
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind