Hemlocke Springs Unveils New Song “w-w-w-w-w,”
Alt-pop breakout hemlocke springs unveils a new song, “w-w-w-w-w,” today via AWAL.
“‘w-w-w-w-w’ details the reaction to a documentary I watched in high school whilst I was (unknowingly) struggling with the traditional expectations of others versus the expectations I had of myself,” says hemlocke.
This single comes ahead of her debut album the apple tree under the sea, out February 13, and on the heels of recent support dates with Chappell Roan and Conan Gray. The new track follows lead single “the beginning of the end,” which saw critical attention from the likes of The Needle Drop who says it’s “one of her most wild, varied songs she’s ever done.” Her second single, too, received praise, with Flood Magazine calling it a “delirious and dizzying alt-pop cut.” Additionally, springs has been announced at The Governor’s Ball, where she will build on her recent critical success.
the apple tree under the sea is a fever dream of a concept album in which our hero, hemlocke springs, sets off on a journey of self-discovery—one that requires her to confront the chaos and repression of her past in order to claim the full, liberatory life she once didn’t even know was possible. Sprinkled with references to her Christian upbringing with Nigerian immigrant parents, the project begins with her coming across a red apple — a symbol of knowledge or “worldly” things, as hemlocke explains, and then tracks her inner transformation as she unpacks the traumatic memories and long held beliefs that held her back from self-acceptance.
“I grew up very religiously—Christianity is very pertinent in Nigerian culture and the Black community—and I was also obedient to my elders,” hemlocke says of her childhood years in Concord, North Carolina. “This album starts with a character going through the desert who says, ‘I’m going to do your will.’ They could be saying it to God or a man, but then they come across the apple. It’s about me being in this bubble, and realizing that being in that bubble was tougher than I thought, and then finally getting out and exploring who I really am.”
hemlocke displays her most adventurous songcraft and playful vocals yet while co-producing the apple tree under the sea with close collaborator BURNS (Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Charli xcx).
Once upon a time, an artist named hemlocke springs dared to create fantastical worlds by weaving hyper-personal tales into exuberant art-pop anthems. Now residing in the faraway land of Los Angeles, hemlocke was crowned a bedroom pop star in 2022 with her very first songs (“gimme all ur luv” and “girlfriend”). She went on to amass praise from visionary creators like Grimes, Steve Lacy, and DOECHII, becoming one of Chappell Roan’s favorite artists, and embarking on tours with fellow world-builders like Doja Cat, Ashnikko and most recently Conan Gray and Chappell Roan. After seeing her career take off while pursuing a master’s in health informatics, hemlocke released her ebulliently eclectic 2023 EP going…going…GONE!, featuring medieval-coded single “sever the blight,” which NME dubbed “creativity of the highest order.” In 2025, hemlocke invites us into a world born entirely of her imagination. Prepare thyself to be verily charmed for the next chapter.
Credit: Shervin Lainez