Hozier

Born on St. Patrick's Day and hailing from County Wicklow, Ireland, Hozier was raised on the building blocks of popular music: rhythm and blues, soul, jazz, and the deep dark stuff stretching from Chicago to the Delta. He joined his first band when he was 15 years old, fronting a soul band with some older heads. He taught himself to play guitar and piano and went to Trinity College to study music. Whilst there, he bagged a seat on the flight deck of the symphonic B-52 that is the Trinity Orchestra, fronting their missions into the world of classic rock.

Hozier dropped out to concentrate his talents on the creative process full time. He tried out with a few different producers in various studios, experimented with genres; but never felt happy with the results. Home is where the art is, and a simple studio set up in the attic proved to be the crucible where Hozier would forge a musical identity he could call his own. A place where Stevie Wonder and Billie Holiday are revered alongside James Joyce and Oscar Wilde.

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. His popular song "Take Me to Church" was later nominated at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards for Song of the Year in 2015. 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. In June 2016, Hozier released the song "Better Love" as part of the Legend of Tarzan soundtrack. Hozier subsequently took a one-year hiatus from his work, moving back to Ireland to "reconnect" after touring his debut album.

In September 2018, Hozier returned with the release of the extended-play "Nina Cried Power." Hozier's second album, "Wasteland, Baby!," was released on 1 March 2019, including tracks from his previous EP. 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. On 27 March, he performed on the "Late Late Show." 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 and performed a sketch with Irish comedian Aisling Bea.