Black and white image of Hozier performing live.

Tabitha Wilson

Irish singer-songwriter Hozier’s latest single has become one of his most popular releases to date – and for good reason.

A decade after his global breakthrough with his viral hit ‘Take Me To Church’ (2013), ‘Too Sweet’ has amassed 6.7 million streams, making it the most streamed track of the week in the U.K.

Hozier, real name Andrew Hozier-Bryne, made his much-anticipated return to music last August with album Unreal Unearth (2023). The well-received record was his first full-length album since Wasteland, Baby! (2019).

Following this, he released the EP ‘Unheard’ in March 2024, consisting of four previously unreleased songs that were initially recorded for ‘Unreal Unearth’, but didn’t make the final tracklisting.

LITERARY INSPIRATIONS

In a statement, the Irish songwriter said the four songs “might’ve made it to the circles of gluttony, limbo, violence and the outward ascent” referring to Dante’s Inferno – his inspiration for Unreal Unearth.

‘Too Sweet’ was inspired by the third circle, ‘gluttony’, and has become a sensation on TikTok, with videos using the track garnering hundreds of thousands of likes.

“The song carefully combines stark, almost sarcastic lyricism with a sustained, saccharine bassline”

The song carefully combines stark, almost sarcastic lyricism with a sustained, saccharine bassline, and laces themes of unrequited love with brassy instrumentals and a wired guitar melody.

The chorus, where Hozier sings: “I think I’ll take my whiskey neat / My coffee black and my bed at three / You’re too sweet for me / You’re too sweet for me” indicates a problem the singer is facing in a romantic relationship, almost selfishly perceiving his lover as being too nice for him.

He continues this theme where he sings “You know, you’re bright as the morning, as soft as the rain / Pretty as a vine, as sweet as a grape / If you can sit in a barrel, maybe I’ll wait,” showing he can acknowledge his lover’s positive qualities, but doesn’t think they are compatible due to his own, stormy nature.

TOO SWEET IS A SWEET SUCCESS

His soft, honeyed tone contrasts brilliantly with the grit of his lyrics, with the melody, vocals and songwriting combining to create a recipe for viral success.

The Irish singer will embark on a UK and Ireland tour this July, starting in Lancashire on 3rd July at Lytham Festival, and ending at Glasgow Green on 10th July.

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Featured image courtesy of Bruce Baker via Flickr. No changes have been made to this image. Image licence found here. 

Tabitha is currently a reporter for Newsquest, and was previously an MA Journalism student at Sheffield University. She has worked as a maritime journalist in the past, and studied politics at Durham University. She enjoys writing about music, culture, and travel.

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