Upon its YouTube release in September 2013, the video quickly went viral, leading to Hozier's subsequent license with Columbia Records US and Island Records UK. It was shot in black-and-white and follows a romantic relationship between two men and the subsequent violent homophobic backlash. The accompanying music video premiered in September 2013, directed by Brendan Canty and Conal Thomson.
The song caught the attention of Rubyworks Records, where producer Rob Kirwan collaborated with Hozier on the final recording. A mid-tempo soul song, its lyrics use religious terminology to describe a romantic relationship. A struggling musician at the time of its composition, Hozier wrote and recorded the song in the attic of his parents' home in County Wicklow. It was released as his debut single on 13 September 2013, originally featuring on his extended play of the same name, before being featured as the opening track of his 2014 debut album Hozier. ' Take Me to Church' is a song by Irish singer-songwriter Hozier.
