Few musicians can claim to have written a debut single that redefined an era, but Hozier is one of them.
The Irish singer-songwriter born Andrew John Hozier-Byrne turns 36 on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, and he shares his birthday with Ireland’s most celebrated national holiday, St. Patrick’s Day. For a boy from Bray, County Wicklow, who once dropped out of Trinity College Dublin to pursue his musical dreams, it’s a fitting coincidence.
Most fans first encountered Hozier’s voice in 2013, when a then-unknown 23-year-old posted a soulful, gospel-tinged track called “Take Me to Church” to SoundCloud. The song became one of the most unlikely chart phenomena of the decade, climbing to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 — the highest charting for any song with the word “church” in the title — and topping charts in 12 countries. More than a decade later, the track has surpassed 2 billion Spotify streams, a milestone Hozier himself celebrated on social media.
@hozierofficial I’ve just been told #TakeMeToChurch passed 2 billion streams on @Spotify. I just wanna say a massive thank you to everyone who continues to listen to, share in and enjoy that song, it’s one I’m proud of and I’m thrilled to see it still has home in people’s hearts 🖤
♬ original sound – Hozier
Born to a jazz and blues drummer father and a singer mother, Hozier grew up steeped in music. He took his stage name from his maternal grandmother’s maiden name. His influences are as eclectic as his sound:Aretha Franklin, Van Morrison, Johnny Cash, and Irish literary giants Seamus Heaney and W.B. Yeats all surface in his work. Three studio albums have followed his breakout: the self-titled Hozier (2014), Wasteland, Baby! (2019, which debuted at #1 in both the U.S. and Ireland), and Unreal Unearth (2023), inspired by Dante’s Inferno.
The accolades have matched the ambition. In 2025, Hozier was named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in the World, cementing his status not just as a chart success, but as a genuine cultural force.
As Hozier marks his 36th birthday on St. Patrick’s Day, he remains one of the rare artists who has managed to be both critically acclaimed and genuinely beloved by millions. Whether he spends the day on stage or quietly back home in Wicklow, Ireland’s most famous son born on Ireland’s most famous holiday has more than earned the celebration.
