Hozier announced at the beginning of the month that he was going to releasing his new EP, Nina Cried Power, on the sixth. Needless to say, Twitter exploded because we haven't heard any new music from the Irish musician since 2014 when is self-titled EP dominated with his song "Take Me To Church."
It's been quite the long wait for those who enjoy his soulful voice.
As a massive fan myself who pre-ordered his first album, I was pretty much losing my mind over the news. In honor of his new EP, I want to take a look a back at his previous music and talk about how it's been used. You'd be surprised at where you've heard him!
Obviously, his song that swept the nation was "Take Me To Church," which highlighted the treatment of the lgbtq+ community. The video focused on the Catholic Church in Russia and two men being horribly abused because of who they are. Arguably this is his most popular song, an anthem to bring awareness to how we treat those around us. In talking about it, Hozier stated that he wasn't taking shots at any religious community, he was trying to open the eyes of the people influenced by his music.
His next big song--and my favorite--is "Arsonist's Lullaby." It broke the Shazam record for the most shazamed song after being played in season six of AMC's "The Walking Dead." It has also appeared other in television series like "The Originals" and "The Punisher," as well as the trailer for the film "Live By Night." The song recalls the growing up of an arsonist and what drove them to be who they are.
The last big thing that this angel has done is his song "Cherry Wine," which is a song about the abuse of a loved one from the unique perspective of the male. What made this especially poignant is that he, with the help of his friend and actress Saroise Ronan, made a music video in which all of the proceeds from went to domestic abuse shelters and charities. Together, they brought to light an issue that is often overlooked.
Hozier's music is unique in the sense that it's a blend of blues, rock, alternative, and a pinch of jazz, something that really isn't seen too much in the musical communities anymore. He also makes sure that there's an actual message in his songs, like gay rights, spirituality, commitment to loved ones, spousal abuse, and overcoming damage you didn't think that you could, which helps set him apart from other artists.
Hozier himself is a different breed of human in all of the best ways. His Instagram and Twitter chronicle him standing for the lgbtq+ communities rights, women's rights, and the rights of the people in his hometown in Ireland.
Overall, a great person who makes great music that doesn't sound like everything else that's popular is pretty hard to come about these days. HIs music is definitely worth the listen, and it's all available on Spotify.
