Abstract
Hailed as a “man written by a woman” by fans, Hozier has gained a reputation as a singer-songwriter that includes women as the main characters of his muse without objectifying them. Using hegemonic masculinity as the lens for rhetorical examination, an analysis of Hozier’s freshman and sophomore album, Hozier and Wasteland, Baby!, as well as various singles presented considerations for his abstinence from including characteristics of hegemonic masculinity in the lyrics and imagery in his lyrics. Following the common characteristics of hegemonic masculinity as identified by Trujillo (1991) in Foote et al.’s 2017 article, each characteristic was compared to lyrics and concepts used in the albums and singles. Comparing the characteristics to lyrics and concepts that could quickly be used to support hegemonic masculinity However, after comparison, there was no sign of Hozier condoning hegemonic masculinity. Hozier’s music was found to compare women to religious icons and the women were highlighted as protagonists of the stories told through his perspective but were not objectified or subordinated. Overall, Hozier’s use of vivid imagery, connections to Greek mythology, clever wordplay, and avoidance of hegemonic masculinity reinforce his reputation of a musician that writes songs from the perspective of the female gaze.
Sample of introduction and conclusion
Introduction
Hozier has made a name for himself as a respectful artist amid musicians that seem to highlight their own masculine strength and put women down as unworthy of respect. Using two of his albums, Hozier and Wasteland, Baby! for analysis, these albums have presented a plethora of songs, lyrics, ideas, and concepts to consider. Hozier’s use of poetic language is nothing new, but his songs make use of metaphors and comparisons of women to goddesses, highlighting the strength and beauty of the women in his songs. His use of this language is refreshing, as his songs have charted highly on Billboard charts among songs that refer to women using derogatory language. His vulnerability in his music has gained recognition as he wrestles with his own religious trauma and his own internal issues in a way that does not blame the surrounding people but tries to grapple with what aspects of these issues are affecting him. Hozier’s music has been nothing but successful since 2013 and through his music, his interviews, his social media presence, and his marketing, he has only become even more popular with over 17 million monthly listeners on Spotify and 1.7 million followers on Instagram. In this paper, I argue Hozier carefully uses his language to disrupt hegemonic masculinity through his use of vulnerability, reversal of the male gaze, perspective by incongruity, and irony.
Conclusion
Throughout Hozier’s career, his music has created an impact on its listeners that makes them feel seen and valued. Using careful language, Hozier has avoided reinforcing hegemonic masculinity and has shown that he views his partners, and those around him, as equals rather than subordinates. Hozier has included a certain vulnerability that looks inward at his own issues to determine what is holding him back from being able to love his partner, the person he views as magical and goddess-like. This vulnerability fits perfectly with past analyses of the reversal of the male gaze where Hozier has objectified himself and highlighted the strength, emotional intelligence, and bravery of the women in his life. Finally, Hozier has included powerful signs of his influences and what inspires him to write through his use of protest songs, perspective by incongruity, and independent women, making him an incredibly thoughtful artist.
The implications of this analysis all point to a man that has developed a strong sense of empathy, emotional intelligence, and a love of knowledge. This analysis has shown signs of respectful representations of women that not only encourage women to take the reins of agency in their lives, but also encourage them to seek what they want and not settle for anything less than the best. Further research could be done into the impressive amount of literature background used in Hozier’s songs and how it manifests in his songs. Research into his music videos could be beneficial to understanding the full message of his songs, as some messages are not apparent until they have been put into visual cues. Overall, Hozier has crafted a world of respectability around himself, and while there may be some valid critiques of other aspects of his music, I believe he has represented women in a respectful and almost reverent way.
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