Hozier was back on the rounds doing media interviews in Ireland and the UK to promote the 6 September launch of Nina Cried Power, smack in the middle of the stretch of live rehearsals he was performing in Dublin and London.
The last time he’d done substantial media promotion was at the release of Better Love on The Legend of Tarzan soundtrack in June 2016 when Hozier did the press junkets and premieres in Los Angeles and London.
Time to get back to chatting! Here’s a round-up of the promo Hozier did on Irish and UK media to announce his return and the launch of new music.
BBC Radio 1 – Annie Mac
6 September – Annie Mac had the privilege of giving Nina Cried Power its world radio premiere and had a great chat with Hozier about it. (The interview is no longer available on BBC iPlayer.)
Tonight at 7pm we've got *exclusive* new music from @hozier.
The last time this happened, it was in the chart for a whopping 86 WEEKS 💥👊
Hold on to your hats, folks… pic.twitter.com/1FuOxydO54
— Radio 1 on BBC Sounds (@BBCR1) September 6, 2018
He’s back! @Hozier chats with @AnnieMac tomorrow on @BBCR1 about his new EP. Listen live at 2p ET/11a PT at https://t.co/uEkJxb4v9E #NinaCriedPower pic.twitter.com/ME5ggGRVkT
— Columbia Records (@ColumbiaRecords) September 5, 2018
Hozier’s Irish Media
Hozier looked genuinely happy and relaxed at home making the tour of Irish radio.
RTÉ Radio 1 – Ray D’Arcy
7 September – This was a great interview, as only Ray D’Arcy can do.
Thanks to the amazing @hozier for coming in and having a laugh with Ray! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 #NinaCriedPower @RTERadio1 pic.twitter.com/xX2CeSbQfm
— Ray D'Arcy Radio (@RadioRayRTE) September 7, 2018
TodayFM – Ian Dempsey
7 September – The story of the dungarees is back!
Strawberry Alarm Clock FM 104 – Nobby & Jim Jim
7 September – This was a nice long chat with great nuggets about the music yet to come.
I was conscious that I’d been away for so long that I wanted there to be a fairly bountiful batch of songs that we can still share with fans and listeners.
RTE 2FM – Eoghan McDermott
7 September – Hozier’s a disappointment only to himself in Eoghan’s quickfire round. 😂
“The quickfire element seems to be lost on you.”
The ONE and ONLY @Hozier was in with @EoghanMcDermo today to chat Electric Picnic, Awkward Selfies and his freedom to create on this album!
Catch up on all the interview here:https://t.co/xrVxbNT5Q1 pic.twitter.com/evPotywc1r
— RTÉ 2FM (@RTE2fm) September 7, 2018
The full audio interview is here.
The offensively talented @Hozier will be on the show after 5pm talking new EP #NinaCriedPower… We used two photographs to illustrate the emotional complexity and spectrum of his new work. @RTE2fm pic.twitter.com/aeS69dCKTA
— Eoghan McDermott (@eoghanmcdermo) September 7, 2018
Irish Reviews
After four years, he needed to blow us away. He does.
. @Hozier at the Academy: ‘Gasps ripple across the darkened crowd’ https://t.co/xJlCG0OJvt
— The Irish Times (@IrishTimes) September 6, 2018
Una Mullally wrote an opinion piece in The Irish Times.
Hozier is truly the bard of the risen people
He is part of a wider movement of socially conscious Irish artists making their influence felt
Big thank you to @UnaMullally for the kind words. Ireland has a great deal to be proud of in it's creative communities
https://t.co/HukSJayh0R— Hozier (@Hozier) September 11, 2018
Hozier releases new single Nina Cried Power, his first new music in almost three years – oh, and it’s fantastic
Nina Cried Power EP review: 'Far from being weighed down by public expectation, Hozier has only become more joyously powerful' https://t.co/s4geEtOZuh pic.twitter.com/c6V8F7WJeE
— Independent Ents (@IndoEnts) September 7, 2018
Review: @Hozier – Nina Cried Power EP:
Bray blues and new shades of light make for short-form success. https://t.co/sV3YGRcVqD pic.twitter.com/FZh5FTjp2p— Nialler9 (@Nialler9) September 10, 2018
12 September – The Hot Press interview was available only to digital subscribers or in print. However, the piece can be read in the 24 October issue of the Irish Rail magazine (also published by Hot Press), though it appears with different photos.
Mavis and Nina are from that era where being a black female singer was a political statement in its own right.
.@Hozier graces the cover of the new Hot Press! The Irish singer talks activism, fame, and the Nina Cried Power EP.
Also, interviews with @RuthCoppingerTD, @BandPictureThis, @Interpol, @ConstanceWu, @Holly0910, @John_Boyne + more. Out tomorrow!https://t.co/wBLqQAoujE pic.twitter.com/t9VhWopm6G
— Hot Press (@hotpress) September 12, 2018
12 September – This issue of Irish Tatlerman features an interview with Hozier and a fashion photo shoot. The magazine was only available on newsstands.
Hozier’s UK Media
Radio X Evening Show – Gordon Smart
7 September – Hozier explains being “wayward” on the road to Gordon Smart.
The full audio podcast is here.
BBC Radio Wales – Eleri Sion
14 September – Hozier rang in to speak with Eleri Sion and told a remembrance of how well people in Wales sang when he was last playing in Cardiff. (This program is no longer available on BBC iPlayer.)
After 3.20pm @EleriSion meets the man behind the one of the best-selling songs of all time in the UK – @Hozier.
His brand new EP Nina Cried Power" is out now.https://t.co/Xbrff72ZT8https://t.co/Xbrff72ZT8 pic.twitter.com/SIVuVk5mH9
— BBC Radio Wales (@BBCRadioWales) September 14, 2018
The Jonathan Ross Show
12 September – Hozier taped an appearance on the Jonathan Ross Show (aired on 15 September), landing the first television performance of Nina Cried Power.
Singing us out tonight with his new song Nina Cried Power, it’s the amazing @Hozier! #TheJRShow pic.twitter.com/X4tEZHjlJj
— Jonathan Ross Show (@JRossShow) September 15, 2018
Wave 105 – Andy Jackson
24 September – This Planet Radio interview was recorded in London before the North American tour.
Bauer Media Late Show – Ryan Borthwick
This interview was recorded in the first week of September but not posted to Soundcloud until 23 October. They discuss the source of Hozier’s power and low-key gig riders.
12 September – all that promo work and buzz paid off. Less than a week after launch the title track from the EP debuted on the Irish Charts at number 10.
Nina Cried Power is Hozier’s fourth Irish Top 10, and leads two other new tracks in the Top 50 – NFWMB, and Shrike, which are new at 27 and 31 respectively.
Special thanks to Hozier’s Guitars contributors @Megn0481, @literarypengke, @AInabsentia, @aenroute, Biljana J, and more.
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Featured image: Source image Today FM, graphic by Hozier’s Guitars.