Hozier's new album was shaped by the COVID-19 lockdown.
Hozier has discussed the inspiration behind his new album
The 33-year-old singer wrote 'Unreal Unearth' amid the global health crisis and he found himself returning to some familiar themes throughout the creative process.
He told The Independent: "It was funny, because in some ways I thought I’d spent enough time [on his favoured themes of life and mortality], and then we were thrown into these new conditions. So there was a lot of death hanging over me."
Hozier - whose real name is Andrew Hozier-Byrne - actually enjoys spending time on his own. However, he's aware that it's a double-edged sword.
He shared: "I’m somebody who is constantly trying to crawl away and be on my own, but to the point where I could end up losing my own mind.
"It was a drug, to come from such solitude and then be in a space with others, making all this fantastic noise."
Meanwhile, Hozier recently revealed that he harbours fears about the potential influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on the music industry.
The singer admitted that he'd happily take strike action if AI started to threaten the livelihood of musicians.
Asked if he would strike over AI technology, Hozier told 'BBC Newsnight': "Joining in solidarity if there was … action on that? Absolutely."
The 'Take Me To Church' hitmaker doesn't feel that AI music should be labelled art.
The chart-topping star - who released his eponymous debut album back in 2014 - said: "Whether (AI is) art or not, I think, is nearly a philosophical debate.
"It can’t create something based on a human experience. So I don’t know if it meets the definition of art."
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