Indigo Naess: Inside Her Early Life, Family Connections, and Private World

Table of Contents

Quick Bio

Detail	Information
Full Name	Indigo Shadow Naess
Born	August 15, 2017
Birthplace	United States of America
Nationality	American
Occupation	Child (Student)
Parents	Ross Naess (father), Kimberly Ryan Naess (mother)
Sibling	Leif Naess, the elder brother, was born on June 5, 2016.
Paternal Grandparents	Diana Ross, an actress and singer, and Arne Naess Jr. (Norwegian businessman and mountaineer)
Known For	Being the grandson of music legend Diana Ross
Current Age	8 years old (as of 2025)
Family Ties	Member of the extended Ross-Naess family dynasty

Who Is Indigo Naess — and Why Does His Story Matter?

He can’t vote yet, doesn’t have a Wikipedia page of his own, and is still in primary school. But Indigo Shadow Naess has already been to the American Music Awards, has a Grammy-winning grandmother who sang at his parents’ wedding, and carries a last name that echoes across two continents — from the glittering stages of Motown to the rocky peaks of the Himalayas.

Indigo’s story isn’t really about anything he has done. He’s eight years old. It’s about where he comes from — a family lineage so layered with achievement, fame, heartbreak, and adventure that it almost reads like fiction. His grandmother is Diana Ross, one of the most recognizable voices in the history of American music. His grandfather, now gone, was a Norwegian shipping billionaire who scaled the world’s highest mountains for fun. His father has built nightclubs in Los Angeles and worked as a film producer. His mother runs a wine company.

Indigo arrived into all of this — literally right after a barefoot beach wedding in Santa Barbara — and he has been a cherished fixture in his family’s very public world ever since.

The Family He Was Born Into: Roots on Two Continents

To understand Indigo, you first have to understand where his people come from.

On his father’s side, the story begins in Norway. Arne Naess Jr., Indigo’s paternal grandfather, was one of the most colorful figures imaginable: a shipping magnate who turned his family fortune into one of Scandinavia’s great business empires and then spent his leisure time climbing mountains, including a successful summit of Mount Everest in 1985. He was not a typical billionaire sitting in boardrooms. He was an adventurer in the truest sense — the kind of person who seemed most alive when oxygen was running short.

Arne met Diana Ross in the mid-1980s, and the two fell into what friends described as a deeply passionate relationship. Diana has spoken about Arne being the great love of her life. They married in 1985, had two sons together — Ross Arne Naess (born 1987) and Evan Ross (born 1988) — and though the marriage ended around 2000, the affection between them never entirely faded. Arne Naess Jr. died tragically in a mountain climbing accident in January 2004 in South Africa, leaving a void that the family still speaks about with obvious emotion.

Diana Ross, of course, needs little introduction. She became well-known throughout the world as the captivating lead vocalist of The Supremes, one of Motown’s greatest hits and one of the best-selling girl groups in history. After that chapter closed, she launched a solo career that produced hit after hit over several decades, making her one of the most decorated female performers in pop history. She holds two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — one of a tiny number of artists to earn that distinction.

That’s Indigo’s heritage on the paternal side: a shipping dynasty, a legendary mountaineer, and perhaps the most iconic voice to ever come out of Detroit.

On his mother’s side, Indigo’s mom Kimberly Ryan — who goes by Kimberly Naess since the wedding — is an entrepreneur who co-founded Madre Wine, a modern wine brand. Kimberly is known for her warm, grounded personality and has been a stabilizing presence in the Naess household. She’s appeared at various events alongside her husband and tends to keep family life relatively private despite the fame that swirls around them.

His Father: Ross Naess, the Quiet Achiever

Indigo’s dad, Ross Naess, is an interesting figure in his own right. Born in 1987, he grew up straddling two worlds — the high glamour of his mother Diana’s entertainment universe and the more rugged, entrepreneurial spirit inherited from his Norwegian father.

Ross went on to build a life that has little to do with singing. He became a producer, with credits including the 2014 film Acid Girls. He’s also a photographer with a genuine eye for the visual. But perhaps most notably, he became a Los Angeles nightlife figure — co-founding the Warwick nightclub and owning The Hideaway, both popular spots in the LA entertainment scene. He’s been described as business-minded, quietly adventurous, and deeply devoted to his family.

Ross met his future wife Kimberly through mutual friends in Los Angeles sometime in the mid-2000s. They were together for the better part of a decade before he proposed in May 2016 — and when their relationship became public, so did their growing family.

A Wedding Before the Birth: How Indigo Came Into the World

The circumstances surrounding Indigo’s arrival into this world are genuinely charming.

Ross and Kimberly welcomed their first son, Leif Naess, on June 5, 2016 — just weeks after Ross had proposed. The proposal, the new baby, and the planning of a wedding all happened in a rush of joy that swept through the family.

The wedding finally took place on June 10, 2017, at Rancho Dos Pueblos in Santa Barbara, California — a stunning coastal property with woodlands, a private beach, and open rustic grounds. The ceremony was memorably described as “shoes optional,” capturing the relaxed, earthy spirit Ross and Kimberly wanted. Almost the entire Naess-Ross extended family came out for it. Nine of Ross’s ten siblings attended. The event had a bohemian, deeply personal feel — think more campfire than red carpet.

The most remarkable guest of all, though, may have been the officiant: Diana Ross herself. The music legend stood at the altar and conducted the ceremony for her son and his bride. Little Leif, just one year old, reportedly crawled around near the altar and stole hearts in the process.

And Kimberly? She walked down the aisle visibly pregnant — seven months along with their second child. That child was Indigo.

Indigo Shadow Naess was born on August 15, 2017, just about two months after his parents exchanged vows. His father marked the moment on Instagram with a photo of big brother Leif peering down at his new sibling, writing something to the effect that this was the first day of a friendship that would last the rest of their lives. It was the kind of post that makes the internet go soft for a moment.

Childhood: Growing Up in the Glow of an Extraordinary Family

Indigo has grown up in what appears to be a warm, tight-knit household. His parents Ross and Kimberly are openly affectionate about their sons on social media, sharing glimpses of birthday celebrations, school moments, and family gatherings — always with a sense of genuine pride rather than performance.

The home environment is creative by nature. His father dabbles in photography, music, and film. His mother runs a wine business and is visibly entrepreneurial. His grandmother Diana is one of the most celebrated artists alive. Tracee Ellis Ross, his aunt, is a well-liked actress and TV personality. His uncle Evan Ross is a recording artist married to pop star Ashlee Simpson. The list of accomplished relatives is almost absurd.

For Indigo, this is simply normal life. Family gatherings probably feel like miniature award shows just from the sheer concentration of creative talent in the room.

He appeared with his family at the 2017 American Music Awards — still just months old — in a memorable group photo that brought the sprawling Ross-Naess extended family together on camera. It was an early indication that this child would grow up visible, even if his parents have chosen to keep the specifics of his upbringing largely private.

Ross has mentioned on social media that both Leif and Indigo have been attending school, and in a 2022 Instagram post, he celebrated what appeared to be a graduation milestone for his boys. The two brothers are clearly close, and by all accounts, Indigo has a playful, lively older brother who was his first friend in the world.

The Legacy He Carries: What It Means to Be a Diana Ross Grandchild

Here’s what’s quietly remarkable about Indigo’s position in this story: he is one of the few grandchildren of Diana Ross — a woman who, by any measure, is a genuine legend of twentieth-century music.

Diana has eight grandchildren in total. By all accounts, she is a fiercely devoted grandmother who calls them by affectionate nicknames and makes time for each of them even as she continues to perform and appear publicly well into her eighties. She wrote lovingly about Ziggy, the youngest grandchild, on his birthday. She wore a stunning cloak at the 2025 Met Gala that was embroidered with all the grandchildren’s names — including Indigo’s.

That kind of grandmother doesn’t stay at arm’s length. Diana Ross has been present at the weddings, the births, the milestones. She officiated the ceremony that technically preceded Indigo’s arrival. She’s the kind of family anchor that gives children a sense of deep rootedness no matter how unusual the circumstances of their famous name.

Even when he is not present, Arne Naess Jr., Indigo’s late grandfather, is also present. The Naess family has openly spoken about the loss of Arne, who died in 2004, more than a decade before Indigo was born. But the stories circulate in the family. The spirit of adventurousness — the mountains, the sea, the relentless push beyond comfort zones — has been passed down in the DNA and in the stories told around the table.

Personal Life: A Child Protected by Privacy

Indigo is eight years old in 2025. He goes to school. He has a big brother named Leif who is his best companion. His father posts photos of them fishing, celebrating birthdays, and generally being kids.

His parents have made a conscious choice that is worth noting: despite being part of a family that could easily command tabloid coverage every week, Ross and Kimberly have kept their sons’ lives relatively sheltered. No verified public social media accounts exist for Indigo. His school, his friendships, his daily routines — none of these are fodder for public consumption. It’s a choice that speaks well of his parents.

What we do know is that Indigo’s home sits in the orbit of Los Angeles, that his family’s businesses — the nightclub, the wine company — keep both parents active and entrepreneurially engaged, and that summers and holidays often bring the extended family together in ways that are occasionally documented on Instagram.

His aunt Tracee Ellis Ross remains one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood. His uncle Evan and aunt Ashlee Simpson Ross have kids of similar ages, meaning Indigo has cousins who are also young, also growing up in this strange world of celebrity adjacency.

Hardships and Challenges: The Weight of Loss and Legacy

For a child of eight, hardships are mostly the province of things that happened before he arrived. But they shape his world nonetheless.

The most significant shadow over the Naess family is the death of Arne Naess Jr. in 2004. He died in a climbing accident — a man who had conquered Everest, lost to a mountain in South Africa. The loss hit Diana and her sons deeply. Ross Naess has spoken about how much his father meant to him, and Diana has referred to Arne as the great love of her life even long after the marriage ended.

Indigo will grow up knowing his grandfather only through photographs, stories, and the legend that has accumulated around Arne’s name. That’s a particular kind of absence — mourning someone you never met but who shaped the people who shaped you.

There’s also the more ordinary challenge of simply being a Naess. The surname carries enormous weight. Diana Ross is not just famous — she’s a cultural monument. Growing up with that in your background means constantly navigating questions of identity, expectation, and the pressure to either live up to or escape from something enormous.

His parents seem to understand this. The choice to keep the boys grounded, in school, away from cameras, is not accidental.

Net Worth and Financial Background

Indigo himself, being eight years old, has no personal net worth to speak of.

What matters for context is the financial landscape he’s grown up in. His father Ross Naess has accumulated wealth through his entertainment ventures, nightclub ownership, and business interests. Various estimates place Ross Naess’s net worth in the range of approximately one million dollars, though given his business portfolio this may be a conservative estimate. He co-owns Warwick nightclub and The Hideaway in Los Angeles — both properties in a city where successful nightlife venues can generate significant revenue.

His mother Kimberly’s wine company, Madre Wine, adds another income stream to the household.

On a grander scale, the Naess family fortune — originally built by Arne Naess Jr. through his shipping business — was substantial. Diana Ross, meanwhile, has an estimated net worth often cited in the range of several hundred million dollars, built across decades of recording contracts, tours, acting roles, and business interests.

Indigo will never know financial hardship. That much is certain. He was born into a world where comfort is assumed and opportunities will never be in short supply. How he ultimately uses that position remains his story to write.

What He’s Doing Now

Right now, Indigo Naess is being a kid.

He’s in school somewhere in Southern California, doing whatever eight-year-olds do — homework, playdates, arguments with his older brother about television remotes, birthday parties. His dad posts pictures of the boys on Instagram from time to time, showing them outdoors, at the beach, at family events.

His grandmother Diana Ross continues to be an active presence in his life. She appeared at the 2025 Met Gala wearing that extraordinary embroidered cloak bearing her grandchildren’s names — a public declaration of exactly where her heart lives.

The family attended the 2017 American Music Awards together in a memorable show of unity, and they continue to surface at occasional public events that remind everyone just how remarkable this extended family really is.

For Indigo, the future is entirely open. He might follow his grandmother into music. He might take after his grandfather and find himself drawn to the outdoors and the edge of things. He might go into business like his parents. He might do something completely unexpected that none of us can anticipate from this vantage point.

What seems clear is that he has the foundation to do almost anything.

Final Words

Indigo Shadow Naess is, in the most literal sense, a child of two worlds. The Norwegian shipping empire and the Motown dancefloor. The mountain summit and the recording studio. A father who co-owns nightclubs and a grandmother who has sold tens of millions of records.

That’s a lot to carry at age eight. And yet from everything visible about his upbringing, it doesn’t appear to be weighing him down. His parents have done something genuinely difficult in celebrity culture: they have kept him human.

What makes Indigo’s story compelling isn’t what he has achieved — he’s a child, he hasn’t had the chance yet. It’s what he represents. He is the next link in a chain of extraordinary people. He carries in his blood the restlessness of Arne Naess Jr., who refused to be ordinary. He carries the musicality and the fire of Diana Ross, who refused to be forgotten. He carries his father’s quiet entrepreneurial drive and his mother’s grounded creativity.

One day, Indigo Shadow Naess will grow up and become whoever he is going to be. Until then, he is the most interesting eight-year-old you’ve probably never actually heard of.

FAQs

1. Who exactly is Indigo Naess?

Indigo Naess — full name Indigo Shadow Naess — is the younger of two sons born to businessman and producer Ross Naess and entrepreneur Kimberly Ryan Naess. He is best known publicly as the grandson of music legend Diana Ross.

2. When was Indigo Naess born?

He was born on August 15, 2017, in the United States, approximately two months after his parents’ wedding.

3. Who are Indigo’s parents?

His father is Ross Naess, a Los Angeles-based businessman, photographer, and film producer. His mother is Kimberly Ryan Naess, an entrepreneur and co-founder of Madre Wine.

4. Does Indigo have any siblings?

Yes. He has one older brother named Leif Naess, born on June 5, 2016. The two boys are very close and are frequently mentioned together in their father’s social media posts.

5. Is Diana Ross really his grandmother?

Yes. Diana Ross is his paternal grandmother. She is the mother of Ross Naess, Indigo’s father. Diana even officiated Ross and Kimberly’s wedding in June 2017 — just weeks before Indigo was born.

6. Who was Arne Naess Jr., and what does he mean to this family?

Arne Naess Jr. was Indigo’s paternal grandfather — a Norwegian shipping magnate and world-class mountaineer who famously summited Everest in 1985. He was Diana Ross’s second husband and the father of Ross Naess. He died in a climbing accident in January 2004, before Indigo was born, but his legacy and adventurous spirit are deeply embedded in the Naess family identity.

7. Where did Indigo’s parents get married?

Ross and Kimberly married on June 10, 2017, at Rancho Dos Pueblos in Santa Barbara, California. The ceremony was relaxed and outdoor — reportedly “shoes optional” — with Diana Ross officiating. Kimberly was seven months pregnant with Indigo at the time.

8. What is Indigo doing now?

As of 2025, Indigo is eight years old and attending school. His life is kept deliberately private by his parents, though he occasionally appears in family photos shared on Ross Naess’s Instagram.

9. Does Indigo have a social media presence?

No verified public social media accounts exist for Indigo. His parents have chosen to protect his privacy, and he has no known online presence of his own at this age.

10. How many grandchildren does Diana Ross have in total?

Diana Ross has eight grandchildren. Indigo is among them, alongside his brother Leif, Raif-Henok Emmanuel Kendrick, Jagger Snow Ross, Ziggy Blu Ross, Callaway Lane Faulkner, Everlee Ernestine Ross-Faulkner, and step-grandson Bronx Wentz.

11. What is Indigo’s approximate net worth?

As a child, Indigo has no independent net worth. He is financially supported by his parents. His father Ross Naess is estimated to have a net worth around one million dollars through his business ventures, while his grandmother Diana Ross is estimated to be worth several hundred million dollars.

12. Is there any chance Indigo will follow Diana Ross into music?

It’s entirely possible, but far too early to say. He has musical talent woven into his family history on both his grandmother’s side and his father’s side (Ross Naess plays guitar and ukulele for fun). Whether Indigo will be drawn to music, business, the outdoors, or something else entirely remains to be seen — and that’s the most genuinely exciting part of his story.