Hozier talks 'cursed' drawings, Ed Sheeran and 'proud' legacy of 'Take Me to Church'

Welcome to hell.

On Hozier's new album “Unreal Unearth” (out now), the Irish troubadour takes listeners on a sonic journey through the nine circles of hell, as detailed in Dante’s epic 14th-century poem “Inferno.” The project was born in the lonely early days of the pandemic, with songs exploring weighty ideas of limbo (“First Time”), greed (“Damage Gets Done"), gluttony (“Eat Your Young”), and more.

Born Andrew Hozier-Byrne, the 33-year-old singer shot to stardom in 2013 with his stirring debut single “Take Me to Church,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He talks to USA TODAY about the song’s legacy and more.

'We all worship Joni':Hozier recalls 'super moving' jam session at Joni Mitchell's house

Question: Thematically, the album goes through the nine circles of hell. Is there one circle that you found most challenging to write about? Or on the flip side, the easiest?

Answer: I had a few options for heresy ‒ that was one of the harder ones to narrow down. One of the songs for heresy could have been “Swan Upon Leda,” which I released late last year. But once that was released, it’s out in the world and people don’t need to hear it again. “Francesca” was a fun song to record. It’s a nod to the text (and is named for a character in Dante’s “Inferno”). But I also felt free to just write a rock ballad in a way that I had hoped to for a while: letting the chorus and outro really open up.

You've been quite active on TikTok and Instagram promoting this record. Have you grown to enjoy social media or is it more of a label obligation?

I’ll take a look at stuff before it’s uploaded, but I’m not naturally drawn to documenting my life. I try to keep a healthy distance from a lot of social media. The moments that feel natural, I’m happy to do that. But it feels inauthentic for me personally if I’m oversharing.

You posted some very funny shots of you doodling on vinyl covers for fans who preordered the album. I especially enjoyed your Kermit the Frog.

Yeah, (it looks) totally cursed. It’s a bit of fun, for sure. In that moment, I was getting a bit restless and bored. But also, it’s a nice surprise for somebody if that shows up in their mail. It’s a bit more unique.

Next month marks 10 years since you released "Take Me to Church." What was the toughest part of adjusting to sudden fame?

I just tried to keep grounded as best I could. You can put yourself on precarious ground if you invest a great deal of your self-worth and self-esteem (into) good things that are being said about you for a short period of time. You have to figure out where you get your sense of fulfillment, and I just tried to appreciate the moment. It was also the first song I ever released, so it was an intense period of time for sure. But I was proud of that song. If there was any one song of mine that I would be very happy to cross over and reach so many people, I’m very glad that it’s “Take Me to Church.”

The song's music video takes a stand against homophobia. When did you start to notice you have such a large queer fan base, particularly among women?

It’s definitely grown in the last five to six years. I think (“Take Me to Church”) certainly opened the doors, but some of that I can’t account for. I’ve just always tried to be true to how I see the world, and true about the way I view society and power systems and injustices. That’s all I’ve ever really tried to do in the work and in my (personal life).

Your breakout year was full of so many milestones, such as performing on "Saturday Night Live" and the Grammys. You also played the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show with Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and Ariana Grande. What do you remember about that?

It’s not necessarily a circle I usually find myself in – I was meeting those artists like Ariana Grande for the first time. Something that did stay with me was just how hard pop stars of that caliber are working, and the standard they hold themselves to. You do a rehearsal run, and then you do a first taping, and then you do a second taping just in case. In all those cases, I witnessed just how much care (they put in).

Have you kept in touch with any of them?

A little bit. Ed came to my show at the Bowery Ballroom in New York (earlier this summer). So we keep in touch. He’s just a lovely man – such an incredible dude.

You kick off your U.S. tour later this month. How do you feel about this recent trend of concertgoers throwing stuff onstage?

I’m happy to say I haven’t experienced anything too crazy. (Laughs.) I get a flower here and there, and the odd teddy bear or little fan-made gift. I think I saw a story about somebody’s parent’s ashes (being thrown onstage at Pink's show)? So nothing too intense yet, thankfully, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.

What concert behavior says about us:Lil Nas X almost hit by sex toy. Bebe Rexha hit by phone.