De Souza grew up in the conservative small town of Spruce Pine, North Carolina, where she and her artist mother, Kimberly Oberhammer, faced difficulty fitting in. De Souza's father is a Brazilian guitarist who was absent during much of her childhood. Her family moved to Asheville during her teen years.
With encouragement from her mother, De Souza started making music at age 9 and began self-producing her own recordings in 2016. Her first release was an EP titled Boys which was recorded in a friend's garage, followed by another EP titled Don't Cry Just Do in 2017. She self-released her first full-length album, I Love My Mom, in June 2018. Saddle Creek Records discovered the album and gave it a proper release in 2021. The album gained notice from journalists for De Souza's lyrics on taboo topics.
De Souza co-produced her second album, Any Shape You Take, with Brad Cook, who has also produced for Bon Iver and Waxahatchee. The album was released in August 2021 and was noted for De Souza's emotional singing and mastery of several different musical styles. De Souza toured with a full band featuring Dexter Webb (guitar), Zack Kardon (bass), and Avery Sullivan (drums). She also formed a neo-soul side project called Icky Bricketts with Ethan Baechtold.
In February 2023, De Souza announced via social media that her next album All of This Will End would release in April of that year. The announcement was paired with the release of a single called "Younger & Dumber" that same day.
17
Indigo De Souza Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've come to rescue
Darling, if you need me I'll be out there
Don't wanna risk you
You were my seventeen
You were my A-team
Won't you just bendThis is the way I'm going to bend
This is the way I'm going to bend
Now that the baby's gone
Now that the baby's gone
This is the way I'm going to bend
This is the way I'm going to bend
Now that the baby's gone
Now that the baby's gone
Darling, if you need me I'll be out there
Sweeping the flood lines
Darling, if you're bleeding I'll be colored
I'll be your hotline
You were my seventeen
You were my A-team
Won't you just bend
This is the way I'm going to bend
This is the way I'm going to bend
Now that the baby's gone
Now that the baby's gone
This is the way I'm going to bend
This is the way I'm going to bend
Now that the baby's gone
Now that the baby's gone
The lyrics of "17" by Indigo De Souza evoke a sense of protection and loyalty from the singer to another person who they refer to as "darling." The singer assures their presence as a rescuer and the need to "sweeping the flood lines" if the subject is bleeding, signifying the singer's willingness to be there for them in any situation. The opening and repetition of "Darling, if you need me I'll be right here / I've come to rescue" establish the urgency of the situation and the singer's commitment to helping the subject.
The lyrics "You were my seventeen / You were my A-team" give a glimpse of the relationship between the singer and the subject, hinting at a closer connection and an unbreakable bond that the singer cherishes. The line "Now that the baby's gone" provides a curious context to the song, which could be interpreted in a couple of ways. It could refer to a literal baby that is no longer present, or metaphorically, it could imply that a significant change has occurred in their relationship, and they have to learn to adapt to the new normal.
The chorus "This is the way I'm going to bend" is an interesting paradoxical phrase, which could mean that the singer is willing to adapt and compromise to make the relationship work or "bend" to the subject's needs. At the same time, it could also mean that the singer refuses to break and would remain steadfast in their loyalty and commitment to the subject. The song's ending line, "Now that the baby's gone," repeated twice, gives a sense of loss, sadness, and nostalgia as the song concludes.
Line by Line Meaning
Darling, if you need me I'll be right here
I'll always be here for you, ready to help.
I've come to rescue
I'm here to save you from any danger or harm.
Darling, if you need me I'll be out there
I'm willing to put myself in harm's way if it means protecting you.
Don't wanna risk you
I don't want anything bad to happen to you.
You were my seventeen
You were young and full of promise, like the age 17.
You were my A-team
You were my best and most trusted ally.
Won't you just bend
Can you be flexible and adapt to the situation at hand?
This is the way I'm going to bend
This is my plan of action and how I'll adjust to the situation.
Now that the baby's gone
Now that the source of the problem is no longer here.
This is the way I'm going to bend
This is still how I plan to adapt.
Darling, if you need me I'll be out there
Once again, I'm willing to put myself in harm's way for your safety.
Sweeping the flood lines
I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe, even if it means dealing with the aftermath of a disaster or tragedy.
Darling, if you're bleeding I'll be colored
I'll be there to help and support you, even if it means getting my hands dirty or stained with blood.
I'll be your hotline
I'll always be available and ready to help you in a time of crisis.
Now that the baby's gone
Again, now that the source of the problem is gone.
This is the way I'm going to bend
I'm still sticking to my plan of action, even though the situation has changed.
Now that the baby's gone
One final reminder that the source of the problem is no longer there, and therefore things may be different moving forward.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Indigo De Souza
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@meganpandalover8913
I’m so sad that this version isn’t on platforms anymore :( got me through so much
@angelsilva7207
This version is so much more better than the one from the album
@devoncline2271
This version of this song is one of my favorite songs of all time. I cried to it on Spotify many times and it’s truly upsetting that it’s gone and replaced by a throwaway simplification of this masterpiece
@cassieandjoslyn
Felt the same way. Was happy to see it was on the album after being sad it was removed from Spotify but was so incredibly disappointed when I heard it 😔
@welcometomollysworld
does anyone know where we can find the OG version?
@ThePlayersStories
They're playing this version on tour right now! It was so beautiful hearing this version live. There are also some other tracks that are a lot different than the album versions in the live show, like Real Pain. Go see her live!
@AnotherproblemOn
hope they will release a live audio of some kind. She’s so freaking fantastic
@tristentaylorwerner2753
put this back on spotify 😢
@kittykjb
will forever be playing this forever and ever and ever
@shairapouf
this version is so beautiful!! i wish they'd put it back on spotify :((