‘Indigo’ by Sam Barber & Avery Anna - Lyrics & Meaning

Arriving as part of Sam Barber's widely lauded debut studio album, ‘Indigo’ is one of two collaborations with fellow country prodigy, Avery Anna, to make the cut for the 2024 project.

As well as guesting on ‘Indigo’, Anna appears on the record's title-track, ‘Restless Mind’, with the duo's endearing chemistry radiating throughout both introspective offerings. Shortly after the release of ‘Indigo’, it spread rapidly across TikTok, with fans using the sound to create of over 90,000 videos at the time of writing. In mid-December, ‘Indigo’ surged to the pinnacle of Apple Music's Top Country Songs chart, as well as securing a spot inside the Top Ten of Spotify's Viral USA ranking.

The way Sam Barber elongates the syllable of ‘gold’ feels like a touching callback to one of his break-out hits, ‘Straight and Narrow’, with ‘Indigo’ staying true to the Missouri singer-songwriter's penchant for stripped-back and achingly intricate ballads.

The production is built out for the emphatic, brooding hook, accentuating the drama and passion that pervades the chorus. Avery Anna takes the helm for the second chorus, adding a fascinating additional perspective to the track and giving ‘Indigo’ the feel of an intimate dialogue between two heartbroken ex-lovers. Sam Barber and Avery Anna's vocals complement each other seamlessly, and it's therefore unsurprising Barber decided to include two duets with Anna on the album.

“And I know you're worried at night
I won't find my way
And I'm tired of lying to myself
Just to get through each day
My head says I should've never left
And then my feet will soon lead to my death”

Sam Barber begins by addressing an old flame, admitting that he's aware they are concerned for his wellbeing following their break-up. Barber confesses that he was the one to leave, but he underlines that he carries the weight of regret about that decision, before despairingly commenting that his restless feet will be the death of him.

“I'm starting to question
If God's trying to teach me a lesson
I'm starting to wonder
If my true colors changed since I left you”

Here, the protagonist wonders whether the pain he's experiencing is God teaching him a lesson about relinquishing love, for the sake of attempting to hold onto a fleeting sense of freedom. Barber worries that he's changed since the anguish of the break-up.

“I used to shine bright like gold
Now I'm all indigo
My colors are darker and cold
I think it's time that I went home”

The titular lyric finds Sam Barber conveying how he used to feel lustrous and optimistic, likening that version of himself to ‘gold’, before abjectly remarking that now, he feels a gloomy, melancholic ‘indigo’. He vividly associates this colour with a feeling of isolation and hostility, but then adds a glimmer of hope as he underlines that he needs to find his way home - both physically from the bar where he's drowning his sorrows, and spiritually and emotionally, as he recognises he needs to find his way ‘home’ to the person he used to be when he was with his ex-lover.

“And I don't understand why I always feel
Dead and alone
I used to shine bright like gold
Now I'm all indigo”

The narrator laments how he no longer feels anywhere near as joyful as he used to when they were together, despondently portraying his current frame of mind as being numb and lonely.

“I gave up a piece of my heart
Then I turned to run
Oh, my head's in the clouds
But I don't feel close to the sun”

Sam Barber recalls how, when he walked out on his partner, he left a piece of his heart with her, emphasising how he still loved her, but seemingly got scared of the commitment and decided to flee. He offers a colourful piece of imagery here, as he depicts his head as being up in the clouds due to ruminating and getting lost in his thoughts - sticking to the core theme of Restless Mind. However, despite his head being so high in the air, he doesn't feel the optimism and warmth of the sun.

“And the light fades away from my face
And the tears fall like rain
And so I turn my words all into faith
Hope it's me that they save”

Sam Barber viscerally continues the pathetic fallacy here, as he underlines how the comforting sunlight is leaving his face, leaving his tears to cascade down his cheeks “like rain”. He determines to lean on his faith, before doubling-down on the earlier lyric about being tested by God by hoping his believing words can offer him salvation.

In the midst of ‘Indigo’s virality towards the end of 2024, Avery Anna took to TikTok to thank fans that have resonated with the song, “Sam Barber and I have been overwhelmed with gratitude for everything you guys have shared using this song, thank you”.

More broadly, Sam Barber underlined how much this collection of songs means to him, “This album means so incredibly much to me. It’s a culmination of the past couple of years making music. I’ve spent almost every single day that I wasn't on the road making this album. I wanted to be able to tie everything together, even down to the cover art, which is the outside of the building that I originally posted tons of my videos from...My hope is that everyone can find at least one song that means something special to them. Thanks to everyone from the bottom of my heart for the crazy amount of support so far. Can’t wait to hear what you think”.

“And I know you're worried at night
I won't find my way
And I'm tired of lying to myself
Just to get through each day
My head says I should've never left
And then my feet will soon lead to my death

-

I'm starting to question
If God's trying to teach me a lesson
I'm starting to wonder
If my true colors changed since I left you

-

I used to shine bright like gold
Now I'm all indigo
My colors are darker and cold
I think it's time that I went home

-

And I don't understand why I always feel
Dead and alone
I used to shine bright like gold
Now I'm all indigo

-

I gave up a piece of my heart
Then I turned to run
Oh, my head's in the clouds
But I don't feel close to the sun

-

And the light fades away from my face
And the tears fall like rain
And so I turn my words all into faith
Hope it's me that they save

-

I'm starting to question
If God's trying to teach me a lesson
Lord knows I'm starting to wonder
If my true colors changed since I left you

-

I used to shine bright like gold
Now I'm all indigo
My colors are darker and cold
I think it's time that I went home

-

And I don't understand why I always feel
Dead and alone
I used to shine bright like gold
Now I'm all indigo

-

I'm starting to question
If God's trying to teach me a lesson
(Lord knows) I'm starting to wonder
If my true colors changed since I left you

-

I used to shine bright like gold
Now I'm all indigo
My colors are darker and cold
I think it's time that I went home

-

And I don't understand why I always feel
Dead and alone
I used to shine bright like gold
Now I'm all indigo

-

Now I'm all indigo”

For more on Sam Barber, see below: