Late last year hemlocke springs came out of what seemed like nowhere and dropped one of the most surprising breakout tracks of 2022. “girlfriend” was a fresh perspective in pop that we had been holding out for. It’s a song that sounded like absolutely nothing else, and ran to its own beat with its sonical attitude and song structure. I remember hearing it for the first time and feeling excited by the chaotic energy and thrilling sonical journey it took the listener on for 2 minutes and 13 seconds. It was a brief track that held an unforgettable theatrical pop-punch. 

Since its release she has followed it up with the even more theatrical stylings of “stranger danger!” and “sever the blight”, and now she’s entered her disco era with the 80’s inspired “heavun” which hints at what else is to come from her forthcoming debut project.

I virtually sat down with hemlocke springs via Zoom and was immediately won over by her charisma. Finding laughter throughout every corner of our conversation, she has this radiating energy that is contagious, and I think it’s also apparent in the pop music she’s making. Throughout our conversation we discussed the creative process behind “heavun”, greed, reflected on the virality of “girlfriend”, and discussed what her live shows will look and feel like once she finally hits the road. Check it out below;

THOMAS BLEACH: “heavun” feels deeply rooted in your 80’s influences whilst simultaneously being teleported into the future of pop. And it’s all about the idea of having a greed for money. Can you explain the story behind this track?

HEMLOCKE SPRINGS: I started the track in undergrad and I kind of built up on it since then. I was broke in undergrad and I wanted to get Chinese food and I couldn’t afford it, so I went to the school cafeteria. I really didn’t want to be there because I wanted Chinese food. I was like, I really want money. And then I started to think about what if I had an insatiable hunger for money. And then from there “heavun” came about. 

When I got back from this cafeteria I wrote the idea of it, and then I just started adding on. Every time I felt broke I was like, damn, what if I had money *laughs*.

TB: And what were the references and important elements that made up the foundations of this track?

HS: I feel like everything’s always eighties inspired for me. So probably the eighties. But it’s weird as I don’t go into a track like “it’s gonna sound like this”. We just kind of go with the flow. I feel like every song literally starts with me typing on the keyboard, until it’s like, oh yeah this sounds good and I guess this sounds eighties influenced. Nothing is ever off the table. But this is my most eighties influenced track that I’ve released, for sure. Not intentionally though, it just happened to be that way.

TB: There is also what feels like a slight homage of “I Feel Love” in the bridge too?

HS: Yeah, oh my gosh. I got that a lot and it wasn’t even intentional. While I was making it I felt like there should be some sort of release, so I sang it that way and then I was like “oh, I tapped into disco there”. And then I decided to go even further with it and make it a hair waving moment and call it a day. 

TB: When has been a moment where you think you’ve been your greediest? 

HS: Honestly, it feels like now’s the moment that I’ve been at my greediest. 

TB: Is greed the right word for it?

HS: Maybe not, but maybe it is the word. I feel like I’ve seen what I can do, and now I want to do more of that and see what else I can do. Is that greedy? Maybe.

TB: I don’t think it’s greedy. You just know what you want now.

HS: Do I? *laughs*

TB: Well you seem like you do.

HS: Thank you! No, you’re right. I’ve definitely had that, I’ve had a taste now, and now I’m like I want more because I know that I can have more of that feeling.

TB: I have to talk about the song that has ultimately changed your life, “girlfriend”. This was one of the best songs of 2022, and it was because you delivered a unique social perspective that felt so fresh. But you revealed on TikTok that this song sat on your laptop for 3 years because you hated it. What was it about the song you hated so much? 

HS: It’s not sonically per se, as much as it’s just weird singing about something I just don’t really relate to. I don’t know why I’m singing this. Like nobody’s ever asked me to be their girlfriend, or their significant other. I wrote it and I was like “what are you talking about? Nobody has ever said this to you”. And so it was kind of embarrassing, and I decided to put it on the back-burner. 

TB: How did you then get your mind changed, and why did you decide to release it? 

HS: One day I listened back to it and I was like, “this is kind of catchy, I guess. This isn’t actually bad”. I put it up on TikTok and people seemed to relate to it, and I was like maybe it’s not that embarrassing. But it was embarrassing for me when I listened to it back then. Now it’s a bit cool.

TB: The bridge reminded me a little of early Marina And The Diamonds. Do you remember what you were listening to around the creation of “girlfriend”?

HS: Marina And The Diamonds is definitely a huge iInfluence for me as an artist and with this song in particular. I was also listening to a lot of Kate Bush and Prince during that time. I remember when it came to the bridge I knew the song sounded a bit too tame and I needed it to sound crazier, so I just let it all out and put a bunch of random words together and hoped it would make sense *laughs*. It didn’t make sense to me but I hoped it would make sense to other people, and I just screamed into the microphone and hoped it would be a thing. 

TB: TikTok completely embraced “girlfriend” and turned it into a late contender for one of the biggest breakout songs of 2022. What was your favourite video you saw using that song? 

HS: I think my favorite was honestly the comparisons of me to Louise Belcher from Bob’s Burgers, Sarah Lynn from BoJack Horseman, and Mabel Pines from Gravity Falls.  They kept on comparing me to these three characters and it’s my favorite as I did not think about it, like at all. And even now I still don’t hear it, but people hear it, so that’s kinda cool. 

TB: Let’s talk about “sever the blight”, because it is definitely your most cinematic song to-date. Can you explain the creative process behind this track?

HS: It was my first session with a producer named Burns, and quite honestly, I thought it was gonna be the first and last time I saw him. So I went into the session just like, “yeah, nice meeting you. Bye” and thought it would just be a couple of hours. But no. I like working on songs by myself, so I finished writing it the day before and thought I’d go in like “I know how I want it to go” but for some reason it just didn’t translate well that day and I thought he might be able to help me. We ended up really meshing and finding a great angle for this song and we ended up going back and forth on it for a while to finish it. 

TB: I’ve noted from your TiktTok’s that you are a little obsessed with the “ha ha haaaaa” part. Was that a particularly proud melody moment for you? Because I have to say… it gets stuck in my head in the most inconvenient times.  

HS: Oh thank you! When I wrote it I was definitely like “that’s a good one”. I really pulled it outta my ass. I was particularly proud of that.

TB: This week you celebrated a year since the release of your debut single “gimme all your luv”. So looking back on the past year, what is the biggest thing you’ve learnt about yourself as an artist?

HS: It’s weird to say as an artist. I guess that’s the first thing. Learning to embrace that. But I think the second thing I’ve learnt is to just have fun with it. Like don’t take yourself too seriously, because I think there was a point where I was really trying to be this artiste’. I was trying to make myself into somebody that I wasn’t essentially. I had to remember I was now going somewhere with music I never thought I was going. I was just a girl making demos in the corner of her bedroom, so I can’t forget where I started. And I had to remember that some people will find me cringe and some people will me cool, and it’s okay. 

TB: You’re yet to play some live shows and tour, so have you imagined and started rehearsing with how your live show will look and sound? 

HS: I won’t give any spoilers mostly because, do I even have spoilers? But from rehearsing I’ve found that I’m a lot more energetic than I thought I’d be. I always imagined just standing there, but I find that I run and bounce around a lot when I sing my songs which is cool. I’m definitely aiming to be more theatrical and purposeful with live movements.

TB: With the viral success of these songs so far, do you feel like there’s an expectation for you to have a polished live show straight away?

HS: Oh gosh, yeah I do feel a bit of pressure. I actually feel a bit like it has to be a little less polished. Like a little bit more raw.

TB: You’ve been teasing your debut project and a lot of new music to come. What would you say is going to be the biggest surprise people are going to hear from the music to come? 

HS: There’s definitely a song I think we’re gonna add to the EP that I think is going to be quite divisive. It’s not a new or different sounding song sonically at all, it’s just really different and not what you expect for a Hemlocke Springs song. I’m a bit worried about how people are going to feel about it, but I’m sure they will love it, maybe *laughs*. 

“heavun” is out now