Em Spel

Em Spel is the solo project of Chicago-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Emma Hospelhorn. Her debut album, The Carillon Towers, was released to widespread praise in 2022. Hospelhorn is a flutist in avant-classical group Ensemble Dal Niente, and her discography includes work on flutes, bass guitar, and keyboards for V.V. Lightbody, Mute Duo, and others working in a diverse array of genres including folk, drone, garage rock, post-punk, and classical. In this solo endeavor, she fuses all of these influences with story-driven lyrics to create invitingly strange folk vignettes.

Upcoming and Past Shows

3/29/25 @ Elastic Arts, Chicago ++ Pleiades Series: A Night of Song in Chicago

1/24/25 @ Clara, Chicago ++ Em Spel // Counterfeit Madison

10/2/24 @ Hungry Brain, Chicago ++ Two Dollar Bill: Em Spel

8/24/24 @ Hideout, Chicago ++ Esme Patterson // Em Spel

11/17/23 @ California Clipper, Chicago ++ Zbeeez // Oui Ennui // Em Spel

9/11/23 @ Pete’s Candy Store, NYC

8/21/23 @ Sleeping Village, Chicago ++ Chicago Jazz Fest

5/28/23 @ Bungalow, Chicago ++ Sunday Music Series

3/28/23 @ Constellation, Chicago ++ Amanda DeBoer // Em Spel // Mesonjixx

1/17/23 @ Golden Dagger, Chicago ++ YMIAH // Em Spel

9/25/22 @ Bungalow, Chicago ++ Sunday Music Series

6/5/22 @ Comfort Station, Chicago ++ Pinson String Band // Em Spel

5/26/22 @ Constellation, Chicago ++ Em Spel // Heath & Beauty

5/25/22 @ Jewell Omaha ++ Amanda Deboer // Em Spel

5/22/22 @ Ziggy’s, Ypsilanti MI ++ Em Spel // Dr Pete Larson

5/21/22 @ The Comet, Cincinnati ++ Em Spel // Bla’sze

3/22/22 @ Golden Dagger, Chicago ++ Em Spel // Sophie Rae

12/2/21 @ Empty Bottle, Chicago ++ Oui Ennui // Em Spel