History Music / Hozier

Hozier (real name Andrew Hozier-Byrne, born 17 March 1990) is an Irish musician and singer songwriter. In 2013 he released an EP ''Take Me To Church'' (which also featured "Like Real People Do", "Angel of Small Death and The Codeine Scene" and a live version of the song "Cherry Wine"), with "Take Me to Church" becoming a viral hit on Website/YouTube.

He released his self-titled album (''Hozier'') in September 2014. After a five year hiatus, he released his second album (''Wasteland, Baby!'') in March 2019. He released his third album ''Unreal Unearth'' in August 2023.

* DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale: Possibly subverted in "Cherry Wine" if you interpret the song as being about this. The speaker's girlfriend is heavily implied to be abusing him emotionally and physically, but he still describes the relationship as being ideal. However, this is actually TruthInTelevision for many people in abusive relationships.

!! Tropes:
* ''[[SelfTitledAlbum Hozier]]'' (2014)
* ''Wasteland, Baby!'' (2019)
* ''Unreal Unearth'' (2023)

!!Hozier and his music provide examples of the following tropes:

* TheBigGuy: He's 6"5 and is affectionately referred to as "the big friendly giant" by fans.

* TheCameo: Creator/KatieMcGrath is the star of the "From Eden" music video.

* ElementalMotifs: Fire. The narrator of "Arsonist's Lullaby" has a life-long fascination with fire. In his second album, he makes references to fire in several songs, including "No Plan", "Nobody", and "Wasteland, Baby". "Would That I" compares his new lover to a ranging fire that burns down several trees, which represent his former lovers.
** His first album also has plenty of references to the earth/soil ("In the Woods Somewhere," "In A Week," and "Like Real People Do.")

* HugeGuyTinyGirl: Kind of unavoidable given that he's 6'5. Just look at him performing next to Mavis Staples (who is only five feet even, making her nearly a foot and a half shorter).

* LoveMartyr: The speaker in "Cherry Wine" is this as he tolerates his girlfriend's jealousy, anger and infidelity (and possibly [[DomesticAbuse physical abuse]]. )

** "In a Week" is a pretty sounding song about a couple being together. But when one examines the lyrics, they'll realize it's rather non ambiguously about two people being TogetherInDeath [[spoiler: and their bodies [[{{Squick}} decomposing and being eaten by animals.]] ]]

* NightmareFetishist: Most prominently in "NFWB" (Nothing Fucks With My Baby), which he [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDbma9rhCjc helpfully explains]]. The lover in question is turned on by feeling the dead move in the earth below her - she's also terrifyingly strong and is or would be completely unfazed by the apocalypse, too powerful to be hurt, and the singer is ''into'' that.

** "Francesca" is about [[StarCrossedLovers Francesca da Ramini and her lover Paolo Malatesta]], but the name itself does not appear in the song.

** "Nina Cried Power" references historical singers of protest songs (among them Music/NinaSimone, Music/BillieHolliday, and Music/MarvinGaye) in a song about oppression.

* SopranoAndGravel: A GenderFlipped version in "Nina Cried Power", with Mavis Staples as the gravel. Maybe "Baritone and Gravel?"

* TragicVillain: The protagonist of "Arsonists Lullaby" doesn't want to set fires but feels unable to resist his urges and laments being controlled by his obsession.

* YouAreWorthHell: "Francesca," is about a pair of lovers from Literature/TheDivineComedy who are being punished in hell for their extramarital affair. As the narrator says, even if they’re given a do-over, they will do it again.

** "Nina Cried Power" is arguably one, referencing historical singers of protest songs (among them Music/NinaSimone, Music/BillieHolliday, and Music/MarvinGaye) in a song about oppression.

* TogetherInDeath: "In a Week" has a [[{{Squick}} surprisingly graphic]] version of this.

Hozier (real name Andrew Hozier-Byrne, born 17 March 1990) is an Irish musician and singer songwriter. In 2013 he released an EP ''Take Me To Church'' (which also featured "Like Real People Do", "Angel of Small Death and The Codeine Scene" and a live version of the song "Cherry Wine") "Take Me to Church" became a viral hit on Website/YouTube.

He released his self-titled album (''Hozier'') in September 2014. After a five year hiatus, he released his second album (''Wasteland, Baby!'') in March 2019. He will release his third album ''Unreal Unearth'' in August 2023.

* NonAppearingTitle: "Work Song," which is more about the genre/tone than anything in the lyrics.

But always keep them on a leash"

He released his self-titled album (''Hozier'') in September 2014. After a five year hiatus, he released his second album (''Wasteland, Baby!'') in March 2019.

* BadassBaritone: His incredibly deep voice is instantly recognizable.

** "Like Real People Do" is another folksy acoustic ballad that starts out with the subject remembering how his lover dug him up from the earth one night because she was trying to bury something ELSE, and [[ElephantInTheLivingRoom neither of them mention what she was doing before that.]] While it's a metaphor for two people with relationship secrets, it was also inspired by Seamus Heaney's poetry about the bog bodies found in the north of Ireland, so it can definitely be taken literally as the subject being [[TheUndead of the unquiet dead.]]