Combatting the elements of fame that feel misaligned, Hozier seeks contentment outside the public eye. He modestly shares his reluctance towards stardom with me: “It’s not about being in a room with people applauding for you (that’s grand), but recognizing what it means to feel fulfilled and whole, connected and in place… and a huge part of that is in community.” While many celebrities seek community among others in the industry, Hozier has remained close-knit with his high school friend group. County Wicklow continues to be the  home base where he looks forward to returning, enjoying “quiet moments between touring and promotion… with my family, parents and close friends.” This deep connection to his roots may have fostered Hozier’s sense of humility. He claims that the Irish have “a real cultural aversion to someone being all too proud of themselves,” and “are great at undermining things and making fun of stuff, including celebrities.” 

While staying close with his friends at home, Hozier has also befriended other musical talents, many of whom he has collaborated with. Country-pop singer Marren Morris told CBS that Hozier is “like an angel,” who “added so much beauty” to her hit song, The Bones, when they re-released the song with Hozier singing the second verse. Similarly, Hozier was recently featured in an updated version of folk singer Noah Kahan’s Northern Attitude. When announcing the collaboration, Kahan tweeted: “God what a life… I have the privilege to live. I couldn’t help but cry as I walked and saw my hero singing next to me.” Suffice to say, Hozier’s kind demeanor and raw talent has touched the lives of many communities, in Ireland, Hollywood, and worldwide.

Beyond an interpersonal level, Hozier possesses a unique ability to connect with his audience on complicated subjects. From his first hit, Take me to Church, which touched on “shame regarding sexuality,” Hozier continues to elicit discussions on the complexity of  the human experience. While he’s not the first artist to do so, he is one of the first to resonate so strongly with pop culture. With influences from his blues drummer father and jazz artists like Nina Simone and Arethra Franklin, he strays from the confines of a singular genre. Rather, Hozier feels inspired by “universal themes,” recognizing that “every experience is alive with a multitude of things.” His last record, prior to Unreal Unearth, opened with the galvanizing Nina Cried Power featuring Mavis Staples. The song, which is one of Hozier’s personal favorites, pays homage to past legends who were “brave enough to stand up and put their work and lives” towards activism. Following in their footsteps, Hozier has embedded socio-political issues into his songs, such as Eat Your Young, which condemns the “sacrificing of future generations for short term gain.”  Further proving his altruistic spirit, Hozier recently donated 100% of ticket sales from his third Dublin show in 2023 to the Irish Society for the prevention of Cruelty to Children.

Despite claiming that he’s not a particularly religious man, Hozier shares details of his Quaker upbringing. He distills the central goal of Quakerism as “trying to look for the spark of the divine in every individual, with the hope being that you treat everybody as if you are looking into the mind and face of God.” It’s likely that the “pacifist” ideals of this religious group has influenced the activist spirit in his music, where he often promotes social justice.  Although he remains vague on his religious beliefs, Hozier shares his “connection to a source” when I ask about his spirituality. As he glances up towards the trees, Hozier describes feeling “very connected to a source in many places in Ireland.” It is no wonder why he continues returning home to harness the magic that is channeled through his music.

Grateful to have been welcomed into this sacred space, I ask Hozier how he plans to continue presenting pop culture with music that is rich with substance and wisdom. He laughs, anxiously stroking his beard and looking at the ground. Refusing to add any bells and whistles to his singing career, he understates his sagacity for a final time: “It’s good not to believe your own bullshit… you have to remember that I make noises for a living. My only intention is to tell (or try to) tell the truth.”