His music primarily draws from folk, soul and blues, often using religious and literary themes and taking political or social justice stances.

His debut single, "Take Me to Church" (2013), became a rock radio hit in the U.S., peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified multi-platinum in several countries.

His EP Nina Cried Power (2018), which featured the title track as a single, reached number one on the Billboard Adult Alternative Songs chart.

(2019), debuted atop the Irish Albums Chart and the Billboard 200, and was certified gold in the U.S.[2] In late 2022, Hozier collaborated with Bear McCreary on the song "Blood Upon the Snow" for the video game God of War: Ragnarök.

Hozier was born near Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland on 17 March 1990, the son of Raine Hozier-Byrne and John Byrne.

Around the time he was born, his father John worked a daytime job as a local banker and had an evening side hustle as a jazz and blues drummer.

He was a member of and toured with the choral ensemble Anúna from 2009 to 2012 and appeared as a soloist on their 2014 release Illuminations singing "La Chanson de Mardi Gras".

[16] Hozier wrote the song "Take Me to Church" in 2013 in between playing open mic nights in Dublin; the rough demo resulted in him signing with indie label Rubyworks Records.

[22][17] The EP's concluding track, "Cherry Wine", appeared in Zach Braff's movie Wish I Was Here, chosen for its "heartbreaking lyrics and poetry".

[27] Hozier met critical success;[28] Helen Brown of The Daily Telegraph noted that it was "an intense, youthful lyrical tangling of religion and romantic obsession that regularly finds him poised 'between love and abuse'".

The music videos for "From Eden", "Someone New", and "Cherry Wine" featured actresses Katie McGrath, Natalie Dormer and Saoirse Ronan, respectively.

[54] In March and April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hozier performed via social media to raise money and awareness for the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC).

[60] The single "Swan Upon Leda", released on 7 October 2022, was inspired by Egyptian feminist Mona Eltahawy, as well as Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization in the United States and the Mahsa Amini protests in Iran.

[61] Atwood Magazine praised the song as "a haunting and heartbreakingly beautiful prayer, plea, and cry for reproductive rights and women’s empowerment.

"[62] "Blood Upon the Snow" was released on 9 November 2022, as a collaboration with composer Bear McCreary for the video game God of War Ragnarök.

[75] As a result of his countryside upbringing, much of Hozier's early music exposure came from his parents' blues, jazz and soul record collections, incorporating artists such as John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Bukka White and Tom Waits.

[7] Lyrics "by far take [him] the most time", describing a "slow process of repetition" while "not lean[ing] too much on verbose phrases" to maintain the integrity of the sentiment.

[76] His lyrics often contain vivid literary references and draw imagery from nature and religion;[17] they tend to focus on themes of romantic relationships, love and politics.

[81] Steve Baltin of Forbes observed that Hozier's brief collegiate study of music theory has influenced his sound as he writes from "socially conscious" perspective.

[81] The "Take Me to Church" music video features two men in a same-sex relationship and highlights the injustices and violence perpetrated against members of the LGBT community.

Named after the Leda and the Swan Greek myth, Hozier stated on social media that the song was inspired by the work of Mona Eltahawy and the systemic oppression of women.

[89] Commentators noted the thematic resonance with the release coinciding with the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision in the U.S. and the Iranian protests following the death of Mahsa Amini.

[90][91] Though the song was written and produced before either of these occurred, Hozier commented that the timing of the release was intentional, calling it "an opportunity to offer some show of solidarity.

[94] He showed support for abortion in the Republic of Ireland in the 2018 referendum and stated he felt "pride" in his generation and the democratic process following the vote.