At age 7, the first show Blu DeTiger ever performed was at CBGB — known as the “Birthplace of NYC’s Rock, Folk & Punk Music.” Patti Smith, Blondie and Talking Heads all started out there, and now 24-year-old Blu DeTiger is spearheading the new generation of edgy bass riffs and distortion pedals.

DeTiger was born and raised in Noho Manhattan and returned to the city on Dec. 3 on the “Blu DeTOUR,” ending her nationwide tour at Webster Hall. 

The concert began with “Crash Course,” a single DeTiger released in July with Biig Piig. The crowd was energized and full of faux leather pants and chunky boots, matching DeTiger’s signature look. She ran around the stage with her sparkly blue bass, even taking a moment to interact with the crowd by holding her fans’ hands.

DeTiger was exposed to live music quite often and started playing bass when she was 7. She originally attended New York University to study music but eventually left after two years to pursue music on her own terms— which meant live shows and marketing herself through the internet algorithm. 

She dipped her foot in the DJing scene and mixed it up a bit by bringing her bass to her gigs, which is inevitably where she improved her bassist skills. 

Despite DJing and playing in alternative rock bands with her brother Rex, DeTiger landed in the indie pop genre. Most of her music consists of catchy choruses, upbeat sounds and, of course, heavy basslines. 

Midway through the show, DeTiger played a cover medley, combining “Style” by Taylor Swift and “Glamorous” by Fergie. The stage setup was immersive, with a few big disco balls at the top of the lights and amps. 

Her excitement was evident as she described New York City as “the greatest place in the world.” It is not uncommon for performing artists to say this, but with the loud cheers from the audience, they could tell she really meant it. DeTiger told the audience about her city roots and how she would walk past Webster Hall as a kid and dreamed of playing there one day. 

“I always thought people who played here really made it in the music industry,” she said. 

Although a fair amount of her fanbase came from her inspiring bass covers posted on TikTok, 2022 was a massive year for DeTiger. In January, she made her national TV debut on Saturday Night Live, playing bass for Jack Antonoff’s band Bleachers. In Olivia Rodrigo’s “driving home 2 u” documentary released on Disney+, DeTiger played bass for the “brutal” performance. 

Unsurprisingly, she ended the show with her most famous song, “Figure It Out,” which has 40 million Spotify streams. Whether you’ve listened to DeTiger before or not, it’s the perfect time to join her in her rise to bassist stardom.