WE Day is the celebration of all things WE. When hundreds of thousands of students gather to tell the powerful stories of how they are changing the world, a movement begins. Follow along as we highlight inspiring WE Day speakers, local & global her...
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What was Andrew Hozier-Byrne like as a teenager?
Growing up in Ireland, the Take Me to Church singer-songwriter says he was like most teens, a little cynical and itching to grow up. However, he managed to channel that cynicism into a positive outlet by taking up things like student council and model European Parliament. Maybe this was only a preview of things to come? That background might not seem like the making of a rock star, but if you spend any time listening to Hozier's music, you'll know he doesn't shy away from subjects like equality and human rights.
It was unreal watching him make his WE Day debut in Toronto this year. Before Hozier hit the stage, we met up with him to dig a little deeper into his story.
This is your first WE Day. How's it been so far?
I'm kind of blown away by the enthusiasm and the excitement. I think it's really inspiring.
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WE Day is full of ambitious and idealistic youth who want to make a difference. What were you like as a teen?
I was cynical and like many, I was looking forward to not being a teenager. I was involved in a lot of political stuff like model European Parliament and things like that. I was politically motivated and very idealistic as well.
You definitely don't shy away from talking about social issues in your music.
When you have an audience or when you have an opportunity to do so I think it's definitely worth doing. I write about what I'm moved by and what I'm motivated by. I just tend to be a politically-motivated person. A lot of the artists that inspired me growing up were kind of aware of their surroundings and their work reflected society or the injustices that they felt... people like Nina Simone and Stevie Wonder.
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ME to WE moments are experiences that shift our view of the world to a more compassionate one. What does ME to WE mean to you?
I think it's a good way of summarizing a shift in awareness from looking at the individual, you know, zoom out a little bit. No one exists within a vacuum either. It's important to think about that especially when looking to make change—there's never just one person alone.
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Your music career has skyrocketed in the past couple of years. What key lessons about success have you learned?
There's a myth to the idea of success, or there's a myth to the idea of arriving. I don't think anyone really arrives. I know that sounds silly, but you get to a point when you achieve something and you don't feel any different. You still want to keep working on it. You still want to keep going. I think it's important not to believe your own hype.
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Thank you Hozier!
If you also think being an active global citizen is important, check out to start taking action. Stay tuned for more backstage convos!
