Career
2008–2012: Beginnings
While at Trinity, Hozier became involved with the Trinity Orchestra. He was a member of the choral ensemble Anúna from 2007 to 2012 and appears as a soloist on their 2014 release Illuminations singing "La Chanson de Mardi Gras".[14] He toured and sang with the group internationally including performances in Norway and the Netherlands.[15] Hozier played at Oxegen Festival in 2009[16] and 2010.[citation needed] In 2011, he opened up for a performance for Alex Winston in Dublin.[17] In 2012, Hozier appeared as a backup singer for Billy Ocean.[18]
2013–2017: Breakthrough
Hozier wrote the song "Take Me to Church" in 2013 in between playing open mic nights in Dublin; the rough demo resulted in him signing with indie label Rubyworks Records.[8] Hozier released his debut extended play, also called Take Me to Church, on 3 July 2013.[19] It appeared on the Billboard 200.[20] He initially recorded track demos in his attic studio before working on the record with producer Rob Kirwan.[21] The titular single was released in September 2013.[8] The music video, alluding to themes of homophobia, was released that same month, having been created on a "shoestring budget" and filmed entirely in black-and-white.[8] The video was subsequently shared by gay English actor Stephen Fry, which helped it reach the front page of Reddit and subsequently go viral.[6][12][22] "Take Me to Church" saw Hozier's rise to prominence, with the song scoring top five positions around the world and gaining multi-platinum certifications; the song also garnered critical acclaim for its lyricism and messaging.[23][8] The EP's concluding track, "Cherry Wine", appeared in Zach Braff's movie Wish I Was Here, chosen for its "heartbreaking lyrics and poetry".[24] It was later performed on the Late Late Show.[25][26] In 2014, Hozier released his second EP, From Eden.
Hozier released his eponymous album, Hozier, on 19 September 2014, including tracks from his first two extended-plays. The album drew inspiration from folk, R&B, and blues music.[27] Hozier met critical success;[28] Helen Brown of The Telegraph noted that it was "an intense, youthful lyrical tangling of religion and romantic obsession that regularly finds him poised 'between love and abuse'".[29] Hozier peaked at number one in Ireland and finished second on the US Billboard 200. The album is certified 2x platinum in the UK and US. After the release of "Take Me to Church", the record released five singles released from 2014 to 2016: "From Eden", "Sedated", "Work Song", Someone New", "Jackie and Wilson", and "Cherry Wine", which all appeared on the Irish Singles Chart. The music videos for "From Eden" "Someone New" and "Cherry Wine" featured actresses Katie McGrath, Natalie Dormer and Saoirse Ronan, respectively.[30][31] He embarked on an American and European tour to support the album.[32]
"Take Me to Church" was later nominated at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards for Song of the Year in 2015. At the awards show, he performed the song with Annie Lennox,[33] and later at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards. On 12 November 2015, he won the VH1 Artist of the Year, a fan-voted award. At the ceremony, he performed "Take Me to Church" and The Beatles' "Blackbird" with singer Tori Kelly.[34] In June 2016, Hozier released the song "Better Love" as part of the Legend of Tarzan soundtrack.[35][36] Hozier subsequently took a one-year hiatus from his work, moving back to Ireland to "reconnect" after touring his debut album.[37]
2018–present: Nina Cried Power EP and Wasteland, Baby!
In September 2018, Hozier returned with the release of the extended-play Nina Cried Power. The record features a collaboration with Mavis Staples on the titular track. He released his second studio album's lead single, "Movement", on 14 November 2018, alongside a music video. Hozier's second album, Wasteland, Baby!, was released on 1 March 2019, including tracks from his previous EP.[38] The thematic elements of the album center around his interpretation of the apocalypse while looking for thematic elements of romance and redemption.[9] Reviews were largely positive;[39] Elisabeth Woronzoff of PopMatters stated it "light[s] the artist's skill and vision of his craft... [and] that it [..] delivers while edifying the artist as an impactful voice in the art and activism sphere."[40] The album debuted atop the Irish Albums Chart and the Billboard 200, Hozier's first number-one US release.[41][42][43] Wasteland Baby! has since been certified silver in the United Kingdom and gold in the United States.[3]
After Wasteland, Baby!'s release, Hozier embarked on a worldwide tour across North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe to promote the album.[44][45] Wasteland, Baby! released two further singles released in 2019 that debuted on the Irish Singles Chart: "Almost (Sweet Music)" and "Dinner and Diatribes"; the music video for the latter track features an appearance from actress Anya Taylor-Joy.[46][47] He was the closing headliner of the inaugural Railbird Festival held on the grounds of the Keeneland horse track in Lexington, Kentucky.[48] Hozier was one of the headliners for the Electric Picnic 2019, a three-day festival held in Ireland on 30 August to 1 September.[49] He performed at the Glastonbury Festival 2019, a five-day festival held in June in England.[50] He also performed at the Lollapalooza 2019, a four-day music festival held in Chicago in August.[51]
In March and April 2020, Hozier did multiple
live-streamed performances on Instagram and Facebook to raise money and awareness for the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) during the COVID-19 pandemic.[52] On 27 March, he performed on the Late Late Show.[53] On 14 April, he announced that he was releasing his cover of "The Parting Glass" for streaming on all platforms, with proceeds going to the ISPCC.[54] On 26 June 2020, he participated in an RTÉ fundraising special, RTÉ Does Comic Relief, with proceeds going towards victims of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the special, he performed a cover of "Bridge over Troubled Water" in Croke Park[55] and performed a sketch with Irish comedian Aisling Bea.[56]
