Hozier Delivers Powerful Message During Austin Performance

AUSTIN, Texas — Hozier captivated fans Friday night at the T-Mobile Stage, starting his performance at 8:15 PM. With his hands in his pockets, he opened with the song ‘Nobody’s Soldier,’ while old-school TVs displayed powerful imagery related to his lyrics.

As he sang, Hozier proclaimed, ‘Choose between being a pauper or a butcher. Honey, I’m taking no orders. I’m gonna be nobody’s soldier.’ The crowd immediately sensed that he had an important message to share.

As the performance continued, Hozier paused to reflect on the influence of iconic artists like Pete Seeger and Nina Simone, who were pivotal in the 1960s civil rights movement. This history, he noted, directly inspired the Northern Irish civil rights movement beginning in 1967.

Hozier’s passionate speech highlighted his support for various marginalized groups, including workers, migrants, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals. Each point he made was met with enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.

‘At the core of it, I believe it’s so (expletive) simple,’ Hozier stated. ‘I believe that people are good.’ His belief in human goodness threaded through his music and statements, offering a profound message to his listeners.

During his performance of ‘Eat Your Young,’ the screens displayed sobering statistics about children affected by conflict, military spending, and homelessness in the United States. In a prior interview, Hozier explained that the song critiques how children are used as pawns in political conflicts.

‘Adults are playing with the lives of children for their own political ends,’ he remarked. His words resonated deeply with the audience as he condemned anti-Semitism and advocated for peace and security in the Middle East.

Hozier, reflecting on his Irish roots, voiced his belief in the legitimacy of a free Palestinian state. He urged his fans to cherish their rights to free speech and protest, acknowledging the struggles that have paved the way for those freedoms.

The performance included powerful renditions of songs like ‘Francesca,’ ‘Take Me to Church,’ and ‘De Selby (Part 2),’ each creating an electrifying atmosphere. The crowd fell silent as he delivered a poignant version of ‘Cherry Wine,’ his voice resonating across the venue.

Hozier emphasized the importance of empathy, consistently trusting that goodness exists in everyone. ‘They have generous hearts. They want to see human beings live in peace,’ he noted. ‘That everyday empathy is so powerful. Thank you so, so much for letting me witness that.’