Hozier (musician)

Andrew John Hozier-Byrne (born 17 March 1990), known mononymously as Hozier ( ), is an Irish musician, singer, and songwriter. His music primarily draws from folk, soul, and blues, often using religious and literary themes. He had his international breakthrough after releasing his debut single "Take Me to Church", which has been certified multi-platinum in several countries.

Born and raised in County Wicklow, Hozier released his debut EP in 2013, featuring "Take Me to Church", which became a rock radio hit in the U.S. and peaked at number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. His debut studio album was released in March 2014 to critical acclaim. It has been certified 6× platinum in Ireland and multi-platinum in several countries. In September 2018, he released an EP titled ''Nina Cried Power'' and featured the title track as a single, reaching number one on the ''Billboard'' Adult Alternative Songs chart. He released his second album ''Wasteland, Baby!'' in March 2019, which debuted atop the Irish Albums Chart and the ''Billboard'' 200, and has since been certified gold in the U.S.

Early life

Andrew John Hozier-Byrne was born on 17 March 1990 in Bray, County Wicklow; the son of Raine Hozier-Byrne, an artist, and John Byrne, a local blues drummer who had a day job working at a bank.Smyth, David (6 June 2014).
Religious abuse, homophobia and singing corpses are the unlikely ingredients propelling Hozier to rock stardom
. ''Go London''. He grew up near Delgany, County Wicklow. As a child, Hozier self-identified as a "class clown" and an "unfocused student", calling school a "monotonous nightmare". He once worked a job scrubbing toilets at a golf course, which he described as a "good experience of hard work". He began writing songs at the age of 15.Byrne, Niall (23 March 2014). "He wants to be adored: The Wicklow singer Andrew Hozier-Byrne refuses to go down as a one-hit-wonder, writes Niall Byrne in Austin". ''Sunday Times'' (London). p. 22. He taught himself guitar and sang in his school choir. He was educated at Delgany National School. His parents were raised Catholics, but converted to the Quaker faith. Despite this, he later attended the Catholic St. Gerard's School before studying music education at Trinity College Dublin. He was refused a year's deferral by the college after missing exams to record demos for a music label.

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". He toured and sang with the group internationally including performances in Norway and the Netherlands. Hozier played at Oxegen Festival in 2009 and 2010. In 2011, he opened up for a performance for Alex Winston in Dublin. In 2012, Hozier appeared as a backup singer for Billy Ocean.

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. Hozier released his debut extended play, also called ''Take Me to Church'', on 3 July 2013. It appeared on the ''Billboard'' 200. He initially recorded track demos in his attic studio before working on the record with producer Rob Kirwan. The titular single was released in September 2013. 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. The video was shared by English actor Stephen Fry, which helped it reach the front page of Reddit and subsequently go viral.Mullally, Una (12 October 2013). "Hozier's soaring voice and searing heart: From quiet beginnings, the 'Take Me to Church' singer's music, and its political nous, are growing in depth and stature". ''Irish Times'' (Dublin). "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. The EP's concluding track, "Cherry Wine", appeared in Zach Braff's movie '' Wish I Was Here'', chosen for its "heartbreaking lyrics and poetry". It was later performed on the ''Late Late Show''. 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-play albums (EPs). The album drew inspiration from folk, R&B, and blues music. ''Hozier'' met critical success; 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'". ''Hozier'' peaked at number one in Ireland and finished second on the US ''Billboard'' 200. The album is certified 2× 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

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