Sword, Shield, and Synth-Pop: Why Hemlocke Springs’ New Single “gloria!” is Everything We Needed

Remember the absolute whiplash of joy we all felt back in 2022 when Isimeme “Naomi” Udu—better known to the internet as Hemlocke Springs—burst onto the scene with “Girlfriend”? It felt like finding a rare, glittering piece of internet treasure buried under endless waves of algorithmic sameness. Her music wasn’t just catchy; it was theatrical, eccentric, brilliantly unhinged, and entirely distinct.

Fast forward through a phenomenal rollout for her debut full-length album, The Apple Tree Under the Sea, and a relentless run of live shows, and she’s still keeping us on our toes. Just as we were settling into the world of her debut project, she dropped a brand-new extension of that universe: an infectious, medieval-tinged motivational track titled “gloria!”

If you haven’t added it to your heavy rotation yet, or if you’re trying to figure out where it fits into the broader Hemlocke Springs lore, let’s unpack why this song is currently dominating our alt-pop playlists.

The Backstory: Completing The Apple Tree Under the Sea Universe

When artists drop a massive studio album, fans usually expect a quiet period of rest. Not Naomi. In interviews surrounding the release, she’s openly joked that she was “contractually obligated” to give us just one more piece to fully lock down The Apple Tree Under the Sea era.

“gloria!” acts as that final, missing puzzle piece. It’s a track that was conceptualized to tie right into that whimsical, slightly folkloric world she spent the past year building. Rather than feeling like a throwaway B-side, it functions as a victory lap—a burst of hyper-charged energy arriving right as she heads out on the road for major festival appearances and massive tours alongside acts like MUNA.

What Does “gloria!” Actually Sound Like?

Musically, “gloria!” is classic Hemlocke Springs, yet it shows a sharp evolution in her production chops. Co-produced with Steph Marziano, with mixing by Mitch McCarthy and mastering by Nathan Dantzler, the track hits you with an immediate wave of vibrant, clattering momentum.

• The Production: It leans heavily into a sprightly, almost medieval-adjacent alternative pop structure. Think bouncing synths, a frantic underlying tempo, and vocal layering that feels like an army of cheerful woodland creatures cheering you on from the sidelines.

• The Vibe: It’s frantic in the best possible way. It captures that specific brand of anxiety-turned-ecstasy that has made her music resonate so deeply with Gen-Z listeners navigating a chaotic world.

The Meaning Behind the Madness: Grab Your Sword

If you look past the glittery synth lines, the heart of “gloria!” is surprisingly gritty. Naomi has never shied away from injecting raw, unfiltered reality into her hyper-stylized art, and this track is no exception.

Speaking about the inspiration behind the song, she offered a brilliantly candid breakdown: “gloria! Keep going! There are going to be regular shitstorms in life — personally and globally — almost every day, so you have to get up, grab your sword and GO. You’ve done this before. Things are hard and you will fall down, but the strength is in getting back up and moving forward every time.”

That theme—resilience wrapped in absurdity—is precisely why her fanbase loves her so deeply. “gloria!” isn’t about pretending everything is fine. It’s about accepting that things are deeply messy, picking up your metaphorical sword anyway, and marching forward. It turns a daily existential dread into an anthemic chant that you can actually dance to.

The Visuals: A Desert Odyssey

No Hemlocke Springs release would be complete without a wonderfully bizarre visual companion. Directed by Jackie! Zhou, the music video for “gloria!” takes viewers straight into the expansive, sun-baked landscape of the Mojave Desert.

True to her signature aesthetic, the video leans into theatricality, quirky wardrobe choices, and deadpan performance art. It matches the song’s energy entirely—isolated, striking, and refusing to blend into the background. If you haven’t watched it yet, open up a tab and check it out on YouTube; it’s a masterclass in how to build a world on an indie budget.

Why Hemlocke Springs is Changing Indie Pop For Good

It’s easy to see why artists like Grimes, Chappell Roan, and Ashnikko have gravitated toward her, or why music critics continuously name her projects highlights of the year. In an era of pop music where so many tracks are engineered strictly for safe, algorithm-friendly TikTok loops, Hemlocke Springs brings genuine chaos, theatricality, and raw vulnerability.

She writes songs that feel like diary entries written by a fantasy protagonist. “gloria!” proves that her viral breakout moment in 2022 wasn’t just a lightning-in-a-bottle fluke. It was the beginning of a genuinely vital, long-term career from an artist who refuses to compromise her weirdness.