Hozier Talks "Take Me to Church," His First Full-Length Album and More

Hozier's "Take Me To Church" is a jaw-droppingly gorgeous track and a solid debut single for the Irish singer/songwriter, but the name of it and some of the imagery from its equally powerful video (below) have caused a bit of an uproar by taking a stand against homophobia and hate. At Lollapalooza, Hozier walks Fuse through the meaning of the song and why he's for love—and not for other people or organizations deciding who another person can or can't have feelings for.

"'Take Me To Church' has sparked a lot of conversation, I guess. I didn't write the song to provoke any kind of negative reaction or anything like that. The song, to me, is about what it is to be a human, what it is to love someone as a human being, and organizations that would undermine that, and undermine the more natural parts of being a person. If you feel offended or disgusted by the image of two people kissing, if that's what it is, but you're more disgusted by that than the actual violence...I think you should take a look at your values, maybe. I don't think there really should be a controversy when we're talking about a basic human right and the equal treatment of people. Electing a person in the place of an organization, like the church, as something that is worth worshiping and something that is worth loving, something tangible and real...There's a lot to the song, but if I need to stand up and swing from the corner, I'm happy to do that."