When listing the colors of the rainbow, people often forget indigo. Not Mia Cuevas ‘27, though. In her live music project Indigo House, she recognizes the often overlooked by featuring indie youth bands at local and accessible venues.
Cuevas established Indigo House in 2024 after attending a teen concert in Downtown Los Angeles.
“[The concert] was just something I felt like I had always been searching for,” Cuevas reminisces. “Trying to find a really cool concert, but somewhere that’s also kind of safe, and around people my own age.”
She decided to form Indigo House in order to hold on to the safe space she had found. To Cuevas, indigo is the “forgotten color,” often left out of the rainbow, but still beautiful and unique. She connected this to the many talented local bands, which do not always get the recognition they deserve.
In order to make sure that teens feel safe attending the shows, Cuevas chooses local venues so that kids can experience live music without parents having to worry.
“ I know, concerts can be a little bit sketchy, so I’m hoping that parents feel safe having other kids at my show,” Cuevas says.
Cuevas’s Indigo House also functions as an affordable third space, something most teenagers today lack. Third spaces provide kids a social outlet outside of home and school and can help in developing soft skills and reducing stress.
“My friends and I didn’t really have spaces to go, unless we [went] to a friend’s house, or just [sat]in a parking lot,” Cuevas explains, “but that [does not really include] doing anything fun [such as] experiencing art, or learning anything new about ourselves.”
Cuevas hosted the most recent Indigo House at Altadena Girls, a non-profit organization in Pasadena. Three teen bands played, including Relay from Crossroads, Gala, and LACHSA, Heaven Help Us from Loyola High School, and Late Night Brunch, from Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, Flintridge Prep, Sequoyah School and Grand Arts.
All of the proceeds from the show were donated to Altadena Girls. Many students from local high schools attended the show and made new friends with other teens who share the same love of music.
“I loved seeing the different bands play and the audience come together because of music,” Tessa Stones ‘27 states. “It was also amazing to see Altadena Girls, which I’ve seen through the amazing work they’ve done for the community, collaborate with Indigo House.”
While others reminisce about past shows, Cuevas is looking ahead. Many people are looking forward to the next Indigo House show, and the music that is yet to come.
“Music is music, and if you love playing music, then the best thing you can do is share it,” Cuevas remarks.
