Hozier stopped by the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge to perform Nina Cried Power and a cover of Demi Lovato’s Sorry, Not Sorry mashed up with the Isley Brothers’ 1983 R&B song, Between the Sheets.
In a full circle moment, Demi Lovato covered Take Me To Church in the Live Lounge almost exactly 3 years ago to the day. (Ed Sheeran’s cover of Take Me To Church was a mere two weeks after Hozier himself performed it there for the first time.)
It’s almost time, tune into @claraamfo on @bbcr1 now to hear us in the live lounge. #NinaCriedPower #R1LiveLoungeMonth https://t.co/vfVTx62Q59 pic.twitter.com/oavjYGu5xp
— Hozier (@Hozier) November 8, 2018
The Live Lounge Links
The 12-minute audio feed of the main interview and performance.
UK residents can listen to the full 2h 30m show and watch the video feed from Hozier’s Live Lounge session on BBC iPlayer. (29 day limit)
We’re here at @BBCR1,
tune into @claraamfo’s show at midday GMT to
hear #NinaCriedPower and a special cover: https://t.co/vfVTx62Q59#R1LiveLoungeMonth pic.twitter.com/6Ic5SMg8Ra— Hozier (@Hozier) November 8, 2018
Live Lounge Interview
While at the BBC, Hozier took a few minutes to give The Greg James Podcast his Unpopular Opinion, a segment that has been running in conjunction with Live Lounge Month. From 03:45 to 05:15.
BBC Radio1 personality, Nick Grimshaw (Grimmy), has a running gag with host Clara Amfo during Live Lounge Month. He challenges her to say a secret word or phrase to each of her guests. Which is why she greeted Hozier by saying, “Welcome, Daddy Long Legs,” to which he said he was going to have it tattooed on his leg.
In the interview, Clara & Hozier chatted about his time off, Better Love, and Mavis Staples, whom Hozier said was “the sweetest, warmest, most charismatic, and a hero as well.” Clara asked if Hozier had confirmed the rumour that Michael Jackson said “Shamone” in Bad because of Mavis. A surprise to him, Hozier responded, “I’m sickened with myself that I didn’t know that!” and vowed to ask her.
They played “How Well Do You Know Yourself?” with questions about the man with the dungarees, sliding into DMs and Clara asked him to identify one of his songs played backwards (he missed it!). She closed with “Thank you so much, Daddy Long Legs.”
(Clips 1-4 from @Hozier Instagram story; 5-6 from @ClaraAmfo Instagram story; 7-10 from @BBCRadio1 Instagram story)
BBC Live Lounge Performances
Hozier has been in the Live Lounge 4 times before today. His first time was 15 September 2014, just before his debut album was to be released. In that appearance, he played Take Me To Church, with Karen Cowley and Caoimhe Barry from Wyvern Lingo on backing vocals. He also performed To Be Alone and his cover, Do I Wanna Know, by Arctic Monkeys.
Four months later on 30 January 2015, Hozier was back in the Live Lounge performing Take Me To Church again, this time with backing vocalists Rachael Lampa and Lorraine Barnes being joined by a small choir. The cover, Problem by Ariana Grande/Regulate by Warren G, appeared regularly in Hozier’s live show in 2015.
On his third trip to the Live Lounge on 1 September 2015, Hozier performed From Eden, was spotted in a bop, and put in a stellar cover of Sam Smith’s Lay Me Down, despite his guitar strap coming loose in the middle of the song.
On his final trip to the Live Lounge on 8 December 2015, Christmas was in the air. Hozier put on his favourite Christmas jumper to play God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen and Jackie & Wilson.
Special thanks to Hozier’s Guitars contributors @Megn0481, @literarypengke, @AInabsentia, @aenroute, @FYeahHozier, Biljana J, and more.
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Featured image: Photo @BBCRadio1 Twitter. Graphic by Hozier’s Guitars.