Hozier dropped into Brighton Pride for a sneaky busking session, and the energy of the crowd singing along to every word was really a sight to see. The Irish singer-songwriter sang his megahit “Take Me to Church” solo with an acoustic guitar, and the crowd knew exactly what to do, turning it into a real feel-good moment with a campfire singalong vibe.
There are some performances that are just blessed and put a smile on your face to watch, and this is definitely one of them. Rather than his signature suit, Hozier cut a casual figure in a baseball cap and brown jacket at his surprise appearance at the Royal Pavilion Gardens. It was also quite a treat to hear the Irishman strip down his hit to a solo arrangement, as it definitely hits differently compared to the big production of the studio version.
Hozier gave a snap performance before his meet and greet event at the nearby Residents independent record store in Brighton. Fans watching at home were enamoured with the singer’s down-to-earth attitude as well as the vibe of the crowd. Viewers added comments such as “The way Hozier acts in public makes me think he doesn’t actually understand he is famous and is just engulfed in the music. It’s amazing to witness” and “Loved it when a person in the audience did the harmony for the bridge.”
When he isn’t busy rocking stadiums, Hozier is quite a fan of making special appearances for fans. Another popular live video of “Take Me To Church” features the singer doing a pop-up busking-style performance in the New York City subway. The subway performance went ridiculously viral, being viewed 64 million times on YouTube, which made it the most popular live performance of the song on the platform.
Andrew John Hozier-Byrne was a little-known singer-songwriter based in County Wicklow, Ireland when he released his debut single “Take Me to Church” in 2013. Little did Hozier know that the song would completely change his life, as it went 13 times Platinum in the US and charted in the top five in just about every country you can poke a stick at.
“Take Me to Church” remains by far Hozier’s biggest hit. It’s also an evergreen track for fans online, who have streamed it 2.4 billion times on Spotify, making it the 26th most popular song on the entire platform.
If you enjoyed this impromptu session from Hozier, consider following him on his online platforms. You can keep up with his updates and more surprise performances on his Facebook page and his Instagram account.