Hozier

Hozier is Andrew Hozier-Byrne, from County Wicklow in Ireland. He sang with the choral group Anúna before releasing music under his own name, and that background shows in the massed backing vocals and hymn-like arrangements that sit under his blues guitar playing. His voice moves between a low, conversational register and a full-throated top end.

The songs draw on gospel, soul and Irish literary reference, often using religious language to talk about desire, grief and politics. He records with a large band and tends to build live arrangements around handclaps, organ and group singing.