Hozier (musician)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to navigationJump to search

Hozier

Hozier in 2015

Background information

Birth name Andrew Hozier-Byrne

March 17, 1990 (age 29)

Born
Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland

 Indie rock
 soul
 blues
Genres  folk
 R&B
 blues rock

 Musician
 singer
Occupation(s)
 songwriter

Instruments  Vocals
  guitar

Years active 2008–present

 Rubyworks
 Island
Labels
 Columbia

 Mavis Staples
Associated acts

Website hozier.com

Andrew Hozier-Byrne (born 17 March 1990), known professionally as Hozier

(/ˈhoʊziər/[1]), is an Irish musician, singer, and songwriter from County Wicklow. He had his
international breakthrough after releasing his debut single "Take Me to Church", which has
been certified multi-platinum in several countries, including the US, the UK, and Canada.

In 2013, he released his debut EP, featuring the single "Take Me to Church". His debut studio
album, released in 2014, topped the chart in Ireland and scored top ten positions on global
charts. It has been certified 6× platinum in Ireland and multi-platinum in several countries.
He embarked on an American and a European tour to support the album.

In September 2018, Hozier released an EP, titled Nina Cried Power, featuring the title track
as a single. He released his second album, Wasteland, Baby!, in March 2019. It debuted atop
the US Billboard 200. He is scheduled to embark on a worldwide tour to support the album.

Contents
 1Early life
 2Career
o 2.1Beginnings
o 2.22013–2016: Take Me to Church EP and Hozier
o 2.32018–: Nina Cried Power EP and Wasteland, Baby!
 3Social Messages in Songs
 4Discography
o 4.1Studio albums
o 4.2Extended plays
o 4.3Singles
 4.3.1Promotional singles
o 4.4Other charted songs
 5Awards
 6Social activism
 7References
 8External links
Early life[edit]
Hozier was born in Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland.[2][3] Hozier's father, John Byrne, is a local
blues drummer whose day job was working at a bank, while his mother, Raine Hozier-Byrne,
is an artist.[4][5]

Hozier and his brother, Jon, were raised in the minority Protestant Quaker faith.[4] He has
been writing songs since the age of 15.[6] He attended Delgany National School and St.
Gerard's School before he began studying music in Trinity College, Dublin. He dropped out
midway through his first year to record demos for Universal Music.[7][8]

Career[edit]
Beginnings[edit]

While in Trinity, Hozier became involved with the Trinity Orchestra. He was a member of
the choral ensemble Anúna from 2009 to 2012, and appears as a soloist on their 2014 release
Illuminations singing "La Chanson de Mardi Gras".[9] He toured and sang with the group
internationally including performances in Norway and the Netherlands.[10]

Hozier played at Oxegen Festival in 2009[11] and 2010.[12]

2013–2016: Take Me to Church EP and Hozier[edit]

Main article: Hozier (album)

Hozier performing at Lollapalooza, Chicago in January 2014.

In July 2013, Hozier released the EP Take Me to Church. The title track was a blues-gospel
pop song with lyrics about finding solace in a lover, and its video was directed by Brendan
Canty and depicts anti-gay violence in Russia.[7][6] Released in September, the video was
shared by Stephen Fry, appeared on the front page of Reddit, and went viral.[4][13][7] The single
achieved global success, scoring top five positions around the world and gaining multi-
platinum certifications.

In 2014, Hozier released his second EP From Eden.One of the tracks, "Cherry Wine",
appeared in Zach Braff's movie "Wish I Was Here", chosen for its "heartbreaking lyrics and
poetry".[14] It was later performed on the Late Late Show with James Corden.[15][16]

Hozier released his self-titled album, Hozier, in September 2014. It featured five singles,
including "Take Me to Church", "Someone New", "Work Song", and "From Eden". He
embarked on an American and a European tour to support the album.[17]
"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,[18] and later
at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards. On 12 November 2015, he won the VH1 Artist of the
Year, based on fan votes. He also performed "Take Me to Church" and The Beatles'
"Blackbird" with singer Tori Kelly.[19] In June 2016, Hozier released the song "Better Love"
as part of the Legend of Tarzan soundtrack.[20][21]

Hozier performing at the Troubadour in West Hollywood.

2018–: Nina Cried Power EP and Wasteland, Baby![edit]

In September 2018, Hozier returned with the release of the EP Nina Cried Power. The record
features a collaboration with Mavis Staples on the title track, as well as three other songs,
titled "NFWMB", "Moment's Silence", and "Shrike". The singer then stated that he was
recording his second studio album. The title track, "Nina Cried Power" opposes xenophobia[5]
and references various musicians, acknowledging their contributions.[22]

Hozier's second album, Wasteland, Baby!, was released on 1 March 2019 and debuted atop
the US Billboard 200 chart.[23][24] The album's cover was painted by Hozier's mother who also
created the artwork covers for some of his previous releases.[25] He is scheduled to embark on
a worldwide tour, visiting venues across North America, Australia, New Zealand, and
Europe, beginning on 10 March 2019 to support the album.[26][27]

He released the album’s lead single, "Movement", on 14 November 2018 along with the
music video which featured Ukrainian Ballet dancer Sergei Polunin. Polunin had previously
performed on Hozier's "Take Me to Church" video.[28][29] Subsequently, he also released
"Almost (Sweet Music)" on 16 January 2019 and "Dinner and Diatribes" on 15 February
2019.[30] He released the music video for "Dinner and Diatribes" on 6 March 2019, featuring
Anya Taylor-Joy[31] and directed by Anthony Byrne who also directed the video for "Someone
New". Two songs from the Nina Cried Power EP, the title track and "Shrike", are also
included on the album.[32] The song "No Plan" is greatly influenced by a lecture delivered by
astrophysicist Katie Mack[5][33] about the end of the universe.

He is one of the headliners for the Electric Picnic 2019, a three-day festival held in Ireland on
30 August to 1 September.[34] He is scheduled to perform at the Glastonbury Festival 2019, a
five-day festival held in June in England.[35] He is also scheduled to perform at the
Lollapalooza 2019, a four-day music festival held in Chicago in August.[36]

Social Messages in Songs[edit]

The “Take Me to Church” music video features two men in a same sex relationship, and
highlights the injustices and violence perpetrated against members of the LGBT community.
The video was inspired by videos of violent crimes against gay men in Russia.[37]The music
video for the song "Cherry Wine" was released to raise awareness of domestic violence.[38]

“Nina Cried Power” is a song that highlights artists such as Nina Simone, Bob Dylan, and
Mavis Staples whose work takes a political or social justice stance.[39] The song itself has been
said to be a “thank you to the spirit and legacy of protest.”[40] The music video features Irish
activists alongside protest footage.[41]

Discography[edit]
Studio albums[edit]

Peak chart positions

BE
Title Album details IR AU L CA GE IT NL N U U Certifications Sales
E S (FL N R A D Z K S
[42] [43]
) [45] [46] [47] [48] [49] [50] [51]
[44]

 IRMA:
6×
Platinu
m[52]
 ARIA:
 Release: Platinu
19 m[53]
Septem  BPI:
ber Platinu
 WW:
2014 m[54]
 Label:  FIMI: 1,000
Rubywo Gold[55] ,000[52
]
Hozier rks, 1 3 2 2 14 7 7 3 3 2  MC: 3×  US:
Island Platinu 972,0
 Format: m[56] 00[60]
CD, LP,  NVPI:
digital Platinu
downloa m[57]
d  RIAA:
2×
Platinu
m[58]
 RMNZ:
Gold[59]

 Release:  US:
Wastela
1 March 1 9 6 1 75,00
nd, 8 19 9 15 — 17 [63]
2019[61] [62] 0[60]
Baby!
 Label:
 Rubywo
rks,
Island
 Format:
CD, LP,
digital
downloa
d

Extended plays[edit]

Peak chart positions

Title EP details CAN US
[45] [51]


Released: 2013
 Label: Rubyworks
Take Me to Church — 107
 Format: Digital download

 Released: 9 March 2014

 Label: Rubyworks
From Eden — —
 Format: Digital download

 Released: 31 July 2015

 Label: Rubyworks
Live in America — —
 Format: Digital download

 Released: 7 September 2018

 Label: Rubyworks
Nina Cried Power 33 60
 Format: Digital download

"—" denotes an EP that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles[edit]

Peak chart positions

Yea IR AU BE CA GE IT NL N U U
Title L Certifications Album
r E S N R A D Z K S
[42] (FL)
[64] [65] [46] [47] [48] [49] [50] [66]
[44]

 ARIA: 8×
Platinum[67]
 BEA:
Platinum[68]
"Take Me to
2013 2 2 1 2 2 1 2 2 2 2  BPI: 3× Hozier
Church"
Platinum[54]
 BVMI: 2×
Platinum[69]
 FIMI: 7×
 Platinum[70]
 MC:
Diamond[56
]

 NVPI:
Platinum[57]
 RIAA: 6×
Platinum[58]
 RMNZ: 3×
Platinum[71]

 ARIA:
Gold[67]
"From
2 — 59 — — — — — 69 —  BPI:
Eden" 2014 Silver[54]

"Sedated" 3 — — — — — — — ——
— — — — ——
"Work
47 — — — [A]
Song"
 ARIA:
Platinum[67]
 BPI:
Gold[54]
— — — 13 19 —
"Someone
 FIMI:
New" 2015 13 24 55 90 [B]
Gold[73]
 RMNZ:
Gold[74]

"Jackie &
Wilson"[citation 68 — — — — — — — ——
needed]

 BPI:
"Cherry
56 — — — — — — — —— Silver[54]
Wine"
2016
The
"Better
72 — — — — — — — —— Legend of
Love"
Tarzan
"Nina Cried
Power"[75][76] 10 — 80 — — — — —
[C] 87 —
(featuring
Mavis Staples) 2018
Wasteland
— — — —
"Movement
40 — 64 — [D] — — , Baby!
"
"Almost
(Sweet 8 — — —
2019 [79] — — — —
[E] 82 —
Music)"
"—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released in that territory.