LOS ANGELES, CA- There are artists who perform concerts, and there are artists who invite audiences into fully realized worlds.
Hemlocke Springs belongs firmly in the latter category.
Before a single song was performed at the El Rey Theatre, the evening had already taken an unexpected turn. With the scheduled opening act unable to perform, many artists would have simply started their set early. Instead, Hemlocke emerged before the crowd and began telling a story.
Not just any story, mind you.
She chose to retell Snow White from the perspective of the poisoned apple.
Introducing the audience to “Appel,” Hemlocke narrated the fairy tale from the viewpoint of the story’s most infamous piece of produce, transforming what could have been an awkward scheduling hiccup into one of the night’s most charming moments. Given the imagery surrounding her debut album, The Apple Tree Under the Sea, the impromptu storytelling session felt less like an emergency substitute and more like a natural extension of the universe she has created around her music.
When the story concluded, Hemlocke smiled and addressed the audience.
“I had fun making the story, and we’re going to have fun tonight.”
It proved to be an accurate promise.
From the moment she launched into “sense (is),” it became apparent that Hemlocke’s greatest strength as a performer may be her ability to make eccentricity feel welcoming. Her songs are undeniably quirky, her sense of humor delightfully off-center, and her stage presence often feels like an extension of the same self-aware awkwardness that helped endear her to fans online. Yet none of it ever feels forced. Instead, it creates an atmosphere where individuality is celebrated rather than concealed.
That quality was evident throughout the evening’s banter.
At one point, she casually revealed that her favorite movie is The Princess Bride. The admission felt less surprising than confirming. Everything about Hemlocke’s artistic personality suggests an appreciation for stories that are romantic, sincere, whimsical, and just a little strange.
Later, while blowing bubbles across the stage, she joked, “I don’t smoke, so this is my fix.”
Moments like these generated laughter throughout the venue, but they also highlighted one of the reasons her audience appears so devoted. Hemlocke projects a rare authenticity. She never feels as though she’s performing a character. Instead, she seems entirely comfortable allowing her peculiarities to remain visible.
The audience responded accordingly.
One of the most striking aspects of the evening wasn’t simply Hemlocke’s performance, but the atmosphere cultivated by her fans. Concert crowds can sometimes feel detached or overly concerned with documenting the experience rather than participating in it. The El Rey audience felt refreshingly different. Fans were friendly, enthusiastic, and genuinely invested in every moment unfolding onstage.
That enthusiasm was particularly evident during “w-w-w-w-w.” When Hemlocke encouraged the audience to sing along, they eagerly obliged, transforming the venue into a joyous communal chorus. It wasn’t the only moment where the connection between artist and audience became impossible to ignore, but it may have been the clearest example of just how deeply her music resonates with those who have embraced it.
The evening’s emotional warmth continued when Hemlocke introduced “gimme all ur luv.”
Pointing into the audience, she explained that the night held special significance because her girlfriend was in attendance. The crowd erupted with approval before joining her in celebrating the song, creating one of the performance’s most genuinely heartfelt moments.
Musically, the set drew heavily from The Apple Tree Under the Sea while still leaving room for fan favorites that helped establish her reputation. Songs like “heavun,” “stranger danger!,” “girlfriend,” and “enknee1” were met with enthusiastic singalongs, while newer material demonstrated the artistic growth that has occurred since her initial viral breakthrough.
Yet for me, the evening’s most surprising moment arrived midway through the set.
Hemlocke launched into a cover of Depeche Mode’s “Fools.”
As someone whose musical identity was profoundly shaped by Depeche Mode, hearing the opening notes immediately caught my attention. This wasn’t “Enjoy the Silence.” It wasn’t “Personal Jesus.” It wasn’t even “Just Can’t Get Enough.” “Fools” is a genuine deep cut—the sort of selection that suggests a familiarity with Depeche Mode’s catalog extending well beyond the obvious entry points.
The more I reflected on the choice, the more it seemed to illuminate aspects of Hemlocke’s own artistic sensibilities.
She doesn’t sound like Depeche Mode in any conventional sense. Yet both artists share a willingness to embrace eccentricity rather than smooth away their rough edges. Both understand that synthesizers can be vehicles for personality as much as atmosphere. Both balance emotional sincerity with a fascination for the unusual, the playful, and the unexpected.
Perhaps that’s why Hemlocke’s music has connected with me as strongly as it has. Hearing “Fools” felt less like a novelty cover and more like a brief glimpse into one of the artistic lineages informing her creative worldview.
Another highlight arrived during “going…going…GONE!” when Hemlocke announced that she wanted to perform acoustically. Before she could continue, hundreds of phone lights instantly appeared throughout the venue as fans enthusiastically illuminated the room. The crowd’s excitement only intensified when she produced a kazoo, earning one of the loudest reactions of the night.
It was a perfectly Hemlocke Springs moment: earnest, ridiculous, charming, and completely embraced by everyone in attendance.
Later, before performing “sever the blight,” Hemlocke revealed that it was her favorite song to sing live. Armed with a sword that looked entirely at home within the fairy-tale aesthetic she had cultivated throughout the evening, she delivered the performance with obvious delight.
By that point, the audience had fully surrendered to her imaginative world.
She ultimately closed the evening with “be the girl,” but not before offering one final message to those gathered inside the El Rey.
“When you leave here, leave here a new person.”
In lesser hands, the statement might have felt overly earnest. Yet after spending the evening inside Hemlocke Springs’ peculiar and enchanting universe—a place populated by poisoned apples, bubbles, swords, kazoos, deep-cut Depeche Mode references, and songs that celebrate individuality—it felt entirely appropriate.
Viral success may have introduced listeners to Hemlocke Springs.
What unfolded at the El Rey Theatre suggested something far more significant. Through humor, imagination, vulnerability, and an unwavering commitment to her own creative vision, Hemlocke Springs demonstrated that she isn’t simply building a catalog of songs.
She’s building a world.
And judging by the enthusiasm of the audience gathered before her, more and more people are eager to live in it.
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LIVE CLIPS
Hemlocke Springs Builds A Whimsical Pop Universe At Los Angeles' El Rey Theatre
