Art Pop Princess Hemlocke Springs Is Your Next Music Obsession

It's a bit ironic when hemlocke springs tells me she isn't a finisher, as we're a month away from the release of her anticipated debut album, the apple tree under the sea. The singer, songwriter, and producer, born Isimeme "Naomi" Udu, is a perfectionist at heart, and if it wasn't for the firm deadline she gave herself, she admits she'd probably still be tinkering on the larger-than-life project to this day. It's that attention to detail, combined with playful vocals and an era-transcending sound all her own, that earned the pop artist a cult following in the first place along with praise from noteworthy artists like Doechii, Chappell Roan, and Conan Gray, to name a few. Basically, if you're not already acquainted with the artist, it's time to get on board.

It was in 2022, while attending graduate school at Dartmouth (studying health informatics), that Udu made the leap from student to bedroom pop star, honing her producing skills on the app GarageBand and putting out viral hits on TikTok. She released her first single "gimme all ur luv" under the moniker hemlocke springs, followed by "girlfriend," two exuberant, '80s-inspired tracks. With fans clamoring for more from the artist, a full body of work was imminent, but hemlocke springs didn't anticipate the emotional toll it would take her on.

Nearly a year in the making, the apple tree under the sea is a collection of songs marking a period of self-discovery for springs. Alluding to her staunch Christian upbringing in a Nigerian household in North Carolina, the artist confronts her repressive past in order to find self-acceptance through a fantastical exploration of different musical genres.

You may like

Ahead of the release of her latest single "w-w-w-w-w," I sat down with Udu to talk about the therapeutic process of making her debut album.

We're so close to the release of the album. How does it feel as you get closer and closer to the world experiencing this full body of work?

I'm glad it's gonna be out. I've listened to it too much. I'm excited that it's the first album, it's the debut. I'm excited that people can listen to and hear what I've been hearing for the past year.

It seems as if this album has been a long time coming for you. Can you speak to the process of making it?