Andrew John Hozier‑Byrne, known as Hozier, was born on March 17, 1990 in Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland. Raised in a creative household—his mother an artist and his father a part-time jazz drummer—he internalised influences from blues and gospel early on. After his father’s debilitating spinal surgery, Hozier’s empathy and poetic sensibilities deepened.
He began writing songs at 15, taught himself guitar, and sang in school and in the choral ensemble Anúna while attending Trinity College Dublin, which he left to release demo recordings. His 2013 debut single "Take Me to Church" catapulted him to fame, peaking at No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
His debut album Hozier (2014) achieved multi-million sales, with 6× platinum status in Ireland and multi-platinum worldwide. His 2018 EP Nina Cried Power and 2019 album Wasteland, Baby! debuted at No. 1 in Ireland and the U.S., featuring socially conscious songs like “Nina Cried Power,” “Movement,” and “Almost (Sweet Music).”
In 2023, Unreal Unearth debuted at No. 1 in both Ireland and the UK, followed by the 2024 EP Unheard, which included Hozier's first-ever No. 1 single “Too Sweet”—making him the first Irish solo artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 since 1990. In 2025, he was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people.
Hozier fuses folk, soul, blues, indie, and R&B, often weaving literary and religious imagery into songs addressing love, redemption, and social justice. He is also an activist: “Cherry Wine” addresses domestic abuse and proceeds from “Jackboot Jump” supported Black Lives Matter and NAACP. His thoughtful lyricism and stage presence have earned him the affectionate moniker “forest daddy” among fans.
