Irish Musician Hozier To Release Debut Full-Length On Columbia Records
‘Take Me To Church’ Introductory EP Available Now
Confirmed for SXSW and Sasquatch!, Additional US Dates To Be Announced
“There’s no denying that Hozier’s dramatic pop is magic.” –Irish Times
“[‘Take Me To Church’], bed-rocked by Hozier's formidable voice and a subtle piano line, has a palpable verve of inspiration.” –Billboard
“Hozier delves into modern blues and forges his own sound.” –KCRW Today’s Top Tune
“Anchored by Hozier’s confident vocals, the song’s gospel flair, and a tuneful piano line… Hozier’s emotional power is firmly felt in the moving “Take Me To Church.” –XPN My Morning Download
(New York, NY; Columbia Records; February 6, 2013) Columbia Records has announced the signing of Irish musician Hozier, and will be releasing his debut full-length in the US in 2014.
Ahead of his forthcoming full-length, Hozier released a 4-track introductory EP, featuring his fast-rising track “Take Me To Church” in addition to “Angel Of Small Death,” which reflects the gospel -soul gumbo at the heart of his music, Arcadian acoustic adventure “Like Real People Do,” and “Cherry Wine,” a raw emotional discourse recorded live at 6am on an abandoned hotel rooftop. Hozier played all the instruments (Fiachra Kinder helped out on drums), sang all the parts and recorded in his home studio, and Rob Kirwan (Depeche Mode, PJ Harvey) mixed the tracks in Dublin. Music is available upon request.
Born in County Wicklow on St Patrick’s Day, Hozier gained worldwide attention nearly overnight when he posted the video for his song “Take Me To Church” in late September. The gripping black and white video, directed by Brendan Canty, highlights the turbulent plight of the LGBT community in Russia via the story of two gay men targeted by a homophobic gang. The powerful video brings life to the emotional song, which touches on the influence of religion on humanity.
The “Take Me To Church” video has quickly racked up views on YouTube, reaching millions of views largely on word of mouth. The track has been a fixture on Spotify’s Most Viral charts, regularly appearing in the Top 10 in the US and the UK since the end of last year, and Spotify also selected Hozier as one of their Spotlight Artists to Watch 2014. “Take Me To Church” also hit #1 on Hype Machine’s Most Popular chart, and has also been hovering on the top of Ireland’s singles chart, outselling acts like Lorde and One Direction week after week. Hozier has been playing to packed rooms in Ireland, and his first London show sold out in minutes, underscoring the phenomenon that has emerged in such a short time. UK tastemaker Zane Lowe has also just selected Hozier for his coveted Hottest Record spotlight.
Hozier will make his debut US trip for this year’s SXSW, with additional US shows to be announced. Hozier has also been confirmed on the lineup for this year’s Sasquatch! Festival in May. In addition to the upcoming US tour dates, Hozier will also be performing at Dublin’s Longitude festival in July and Reading & Leeds in August.
“Take Me To Church” video: http://youtu.be/MYSVMgRr6pw
“Cherry Wine” studio session: http://youtu.be/pWWX0aUW_HY
Take Me To Church EP: http://smarturl.it/HozierEP
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