T WAS 2014 AND THE RADIO WAS BLASTING TAKE ME TO CHURCH ON A LOOP, SPITTING ITS TRUMP HATE AND ANTI-RELIGIOUS MESSAGE. BY THE END OF THAT YEAR, IT HAD REACHED NUMBER TWO ON THE BILLBOARD HOT 100, WHERE IT SAT FOR THREE WEEKS. IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG TO REACH NUMBER ONE ON BILLBOARD’S U.S. ADULT TOP 40 AND U.S. HOT ROCK SONGS.
—By Marie-Ève Venne
PHOTO: JOHN LONDONO
At the same pace, a shy Irish singer from Dublin went from low-key gigs in small venues to star slots on international TV shows such as The Ellen Show and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. The world was in awe of Hozier and there was no place for him to hide anymore.
The Irish singer-songwriter’s second full-length, Wasteland, Baby!, was released on March 1st 2019. Accompanied by a cover painting that has the artist literally underwater, the title speaks to the record’s themes of hope amidst global struggles. A few hours before his performance at the latest edition of Osheaga Music & Arts Festival, we had the chance to catch up with him to learn more about his most recent album and what comes after a hit song.
“You have a hit song, and everybody knows your face, and everybody knows your name. You don’t feel any different. You’re just confronted with this totally new reality,” he says, hiding behind a pair of round sunglasses.
“I wasn’t fully prepared for it. I had dropped out of college and it was the first song I ever released, so it was a total surprise. I don’t think I really know how to deal with fame, even now. For me, it’s just about focusing on what you want to achieve with your work. All of the noise that’s created around you and projected onto you, you keep that at a distance,” he adds.
Following his instant success, he had to be on the road for a long time, jumping from one country to another, with few moments for himself or to reflect.
Read the full article on Dress To Kill Magazine
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