While his next full-length album isn't expected to be released before 2019, and his self-titled debut was released almost four years ago containing the smash hit "Take Me To Church," it may seem like Hozier has had plenty of time to shape his new material. But between extensive touring, maintaining a hectic schedule of public appearances, don't be so sure. The young star recently shared his solution to the difficulties he'd had creating new songs on the road — get right to work writing and recording.
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"There was a bit of an urgency to get these songs written," he said recently in an interview with Rolling Stone. "I wanted to empty the pockets and get as many songs down as possible."
A tough act to follow indeed, "Take Me To Church" was nominated for Song Of The Year at the 57th GRAMMY Awards and Hozier performed it on the telecast on Feb. 8, 2015, in a medley with "I Put A Spell On You" with Annie Lennox. The first four songs of Hozier's new batch of tunes are set to arrive Sept. 6 packaged as the Nina Cried Power EP.
Hozier also took time in the interview to share his admiration for freedom-fighting role models Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Nina Simone, and Mavis Staples, and he expressed his excitement to work on new material with the legendary Booker T. Jones, whose voice has been raised as an advocate of copyright reform in 2018. Advocacy, social issues and the struggle for human rights have always been strong themes Hozier summons into his lyrics time and again.
Self-taught on the guitar at 15, his dad's Chicago Blues record collection first exposed him to music's special power to convey urgent messages, and he began writing songs before college. He stepped away from college later to self-produce demos. Startlingly his early material captured countryside sounds such as the cry of a fox. Hozier said, "I played as much of the instruments as I could myself."
We spoke with him at Austin City Limits Festival in 2015 while the "whirlwind" of his debut album's stunning year was in full force. His sense of admiration for role models was extended as well to performing with Lennox at the 57th GRAMMY Awards. He then proceeded to recite many blues masters of which Muddy Waters is merely one, with a list just for Mississippi Delta bluesmen. Hozier will return to ACL this year Oct. 5 & 12 headlining behind another legend, Paul McCartney.
On the brink of sharing new music with the world, and despite his popularity, Hozier refuses to overthink pursuing commercial success.
"All I can do is trust my instinct on it," he said, "We'll have to wait and see."
