Hemlocke Springs Is Queering Pop’s Future—With Chappell Roan’s Stamp & Her Own Sonic Magic

Hemlocke Springs is not just the latest alt-pop sensation—she’s a vibrant force queering up the music landscape at a time when pop is begging for more weirdness, more authenticity, and more heart. Originally from Concord, North Carolina, Springs has gone from viral TikTok darling to opening for icons like Chappell Roan and Conan Gray—all before her debut album, “the apple tree under the sea, ” even drops next February .

Springs’ story is classic underdog: a self-described “background character, ” she found herself thrust into the spotlight thanks to the unexpected viral success of “Girlfriend, ” a song that critics and fans alike dubbed an “awkward Black girl anthem” . Her music—playful, offbeat, and bursting with 1980s synth-pop energy—quickly captured the imagination of queer listeners hungry for something outside the mainstream. As she told Out, “Pop music just got a little weirder” .

But fame hasn’t always been comfortable. “For someone who has long identified as a ‘background character’, it’s a strange time adjusting to her new fame, ” she admitted to The Line of Best Fit, reflecting on how her TikTok notoriety transformed her life practically overnight .

What sets Hemlocke Springs apart isn’t just her sound—it’s how she centers queer community in her journey. “The LGBTQ+ community has been the most accepting of my music, and I feel like that’s a common statement I’ve heard from other artists, ” Springs shared in her Out Magazine interview. She credits her queer friends—gay, bi, trans—for helping her embrace her own identity and see life as a non-linear journey, both musically and romantically .

Her experience growing up Christian and Nigerian added layers of complexity, sometimes feeling confined, but ultimately leading her to “unlearn a lot of toxic beliefs. ” Springs describes her journey as “quiet but thunderous, ” and recalls the joy of a friend coming out as bi: “I remember being so happy and honored they told me. It was then I began unlearning a lot of the toxic beliefs I had held ” .

Springs’ openness about being boxed in—by race, genre, and expectation—resonates deeply with LGBTQ+ fans. She’s candid: “People genuinely think I'm white—I've had many interactions where people have been surprised to find out I’m Black… Sometimes, I feel like it’s the only reason why I’ve been able to be seen as this zany pop person—and even that itself has been a box! … Unpopular opinion: I don’t think I'll ever overcome it… Rather, I try not to let such perceptions get in the way of my work” . The fight against stereotypes is ongoing—“if you’re a Black music artist, you either do hip hop or R&B—which is not even true! ” she told The Line of Best Fit .

The Chappell Roan stamp of approval is not just a passing mention—it’s a signal of Springs’ arrival in a glittering new queer pop vanguard. Roan, herself an LGBTQ+ icon, invited Springs to open for her “Visions of Damsels & Other Dangerous Things” pop-up shows in Los Angeles—a move that places Springs squarely among the most exciting names in queer music today .

Springs brought her signature energy to Roan’s stage—sometimes a little too much, as she recounted breaking up a fight mid-set with a defiant “Whew child! ” delivered straight into the mic . That ability to hold space, improvise, and keep the crowd laughing is part of what makes her so beloved.

What’s next for Hemlocke Springs? Her debut album, “the apple tree under the sea, ” is set to release February 13, 2026, and anticipation is high—not just for the music, but for the vision it represents. Springs is committed to making pop music stranger, more colorful, and more welcoming to those who’ve never fit the mold. She announced a holiday show, “the christmystical tree under the sea, ” at LA’s Bob Baker Marionette Theater—a “very hemlocke holiday soirée” that promises the kind of joyful oddness fans have come to expect .

Her latest single, “heads, shoulders, knees and ankles, ” was born from a dream—quirky, surreal, and distinctly Springs. “Basically, I was having this dream where I was watching this dude follow a girl, sort of angelic character, and… Wait. I’m going to have to sing these songs live, ” she laughed .

Hemlocke Springs stands at the intersection of Blackness, queerness, and pop eccentricity. Her refusal to be boxed in—by genre, race, or expectation—mirrors the broader fight for LGBTQ+ liberation in culture. She’s a reminder that pop music thrives when it embraces complexity, weirdness, and the full spectrum of identity.

For queer fans, Springs is more than a rising star—she’s proof that community can be both a refuge and a launchpad. “It was my gay friends, my queer friends, my trans friends, my bi friends that I made along the way who have helped me remember that I am on my own journey, whether that be romantically or musically, and that no path is linear. We’ll see where that journey leads! ” .

As we await “the apple tree under the sea, ” Hemlocke Springs is already making waves—reminding us all that the future of pop is queer, Black, and gloriously unboxed.