Someone New

"Someone New" by Hozier is a nuanced exploration of loneliness and the use of fleeting attractions as a coping mechanism. Despite its upbeat, soulful melody, the lyrics convey a message of emotional disconnection and superficiality. Hozier himself has described the song as being about "love at its most empty and vacuous and futile." The narrator confesses to falling in love "just a little bit every day with someone new," not out of genuine romantic connection, but as a way to distract himself from a sense of inner emptiness or the monotony of life. The lyrics "There's an art to life's distractions / To somehow escape the burning wait" explicitly frame these infatuations as a deliberate act of escapism. The song contrasts this transient form of love with a deeper, more committed version, as seen in the reference to Aretha Franklin, making the narrator's actions feel all the more hollow. It delves into the modern experience of connection, where intense but short-lived relationships can serve as a temporary balm for profound solitude, without leading to lasting bonds. Ultimately, it's a commentary on the human tendency to seek meaning and feeling through others, even if the connections are ephemeral and ultimately unfulfilling.

The narrator begins by addressing a current partner, acknowledging that they were aware of his nature from the very beginning. He speaks of dark days and the act of choosing arbitrary perfections in strangers as a form of self-definition. He questions the idea of a single "right way" to live or love, concluding that such a thing doesn't exist.

This leads to the central confession of the song, which is the chorus: he falls in love, just a little bit, every single day with someone he doesn't know. This isn't a grand, sweeping romance, but a series of small, ephemeral infatuations. It's a continuous cycle of finding novelty and a flicker of connection in passing faces.

The song delves into the idea of distraction as a necessary art form for survival. Life is portrayed as a "burning wait," a difficult experience to endure, and people find different ways to cope. Some might fantasize about the touch of another person; the narrator implies that any thrill or distraction will suffice to get through the hardship. He sees his own method—falling for strangers—as one of these coping mechanisms.

There's a moment of reflection where he wakes up in the morning already feeling as though he has sinned, suggesting a sense of guilt or awareness that this behavior isn't entirely healthy or pure. He contrasts his transient affections with the deep, prayerful love described in Aretha Franklin's music, highlighting the vast difference between his fleeting feelings and a more profound, committed love. This comparison underscores the shallow, "vacuous" nature of his own version of love.

The song concludes by reiterating the core theme. He finds love with strangers, and the more unfamiliar they are, the better. This reinforces the idea that it's not about the person, but the newness and the escape they represent. The act of falling for "someone new" is a defense mechanism against a deeper loneliness and existential unease, a way to add fleeting sparks to otherwise "blue or black days."

"Someone New" was written by Andrew Hozier-Byrne and his former girlfriend, Irish-Sierra Leonean soul singer Sallay-Matu Garnett. Hozier has mentioned in a live performance that he awkwardly wrote the song with an ex-girlfriend, calling it a tune about love at its "most futile and shallow and useless." It was recorded in 2013 and is one of the oldest songs from Hozier's early demos to be included on his debut, self-titled album, which was released in 2014. By the time of the album's release, Hozier stated that this was the track that "resonated with him the least." The song was produced by Hozier and Rob Kirwan. It was released as the fifth single from the album on May 11, 2015. The music video, released on March 2, 2015, was directed by Anthony Byrne and famously stars "Game of Thrones" actress Natalie Dormer. The video's treatment was co-written by Hozier's brother, Jon Hozier-Byrne, and David Reilly of Stoneface Films.

"Someone New" is structured with a distinct rhythm that contributes to its deceptively upbeat and nonchalant feel. The song is written in the key of G Major and maintains a moderate tempo. Its rhythm is characterized by a shuffling, jaunty groove driven by a bluesy, plucked guitar and a steady drum beat, making it suitable for a slow dance. The use of a pizzicato bass provides a bouncy, rhythmic foundation. In some live versions, an amplified drum line is used to enhance this rhythm further. The rhyme scheme in the verses is not strictly formal, leaning more towards a free verse style that follows the narrative flow. However, the chorus employs a more structured repetition and rhyme with the key phrase "someone new." The interplay between the relaxed lyrical delivery and the consistent, shuffling musical rhythm creates the song's signature ironic contrast between its somber lyrical theme and its cheerful musicality.

"Someone New" blends literary depth with a distinct musical arrangement to create its signature ironic tone.

• Musical Style: The song is a fusion of indie rock, soul, and blues, characterized by a jaunty, shuffling rhythm and a bluesy, plucked guitar line that gives it a danceable quality. This upbeat and soulful instrumentation creates a stark contrast with the darker, more cynical lyrical content, a technique that heightens the song's sense of irony. The arrangement includes a pizzicato bass, choral harmonies, and echoing vocals, adding layers and a sense of space. Hozier's vocal delivery is a smooth, soulful croon that further emphasizes the track's sensual mood, belying the emotional detachment in the lyrics.
• Literary Devices: The lyrics are praised for being precisely crafted and poetic. Hozier employs a confessional narrative voice, directly addressing a partner and the listener. There's a strong use of juxtaposition, particularly in the comparison between his fleeting affections and Aretha Franklin's pure love. The phrase "the art to life's distractions" is a key metaphor that frames the entire song's thesis. The tone is often described as tongue-in-cheek and cynical, using the language of love to describe something that is its antithesis.

"Someone New" was a commercially successful single from Hozier's highly acclaimed debut album. It peaked at number 13 on the Irish Singles Chart and also charted in the UK, Scotland, Canada, and on several Billboard charts in the US, including reaching number 7 on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. The song's music video gained significant cultural attention, largely due to featuring popular actress Natalie Dormer (known for Game of Thrones). The video has garnered over 86 million views on YouTube, amplifying the song's reach. Critics often reviewed the song positively, describing it as "soulful" and "vintage." While not reaching the viral phenomenon status of "Take Me to Church," "Someone New" solidified Hozier's reputation as a songwriter capable of blending catchy, blues-infused melodies with deep, often dark lyrical themes. The song is a fan favorite at live shows and remains a key track in his discography, often cited for its clever lyrical irony and exploration of modern loneliness.

The central metaphor of "Someone New" is the act of falling in love with strangers as a form of distraction and survival. This isn't literal love but a symbol for seeking novelty and fleeting moments of connection to cope with existential dread or "the burning wait" of life.

• "Electing strange perfections in any stranger I choose": This phrase symbolizes the act of projecting idealized qualities onto unknown people. It's a conscious choice to find a temporary, perfect focus to avoid internal turmoil.
• The contrast with Aretha Franklin: The line, "How pure, how sweet a love, Aretha, that you would pray for him," serves as a powerful symbol. It juxtaposes the narrator's transient, self-serving infatuations with the profound, selfless, and enduring love celebrated by the soul icon. This highlights the emptiness of the narrator's own experiences.
• "I wake at the first cringe of morning / And my heart's already sinned": This symbolizes the guilt and self-awareness that accompanies this lifestyle. The 'sin' is not religious in a literal sense, but a transgression against the ideal of genuine, meaningful connection, acknowledging the hollowness of his actions upon waking.
• The Music Video: The video, starring Natalie Dormer, visually symbolizes the song's theme. Her character's imagined romantic encounters with strangers on the streets of London represent the internal fantasy of connection masking a deeper reality of isolation and loneliness.

The most prominent recurring motif in "Someone New" is the central hook of the chorus: "I fall in love just a little, oh a little bit / Every day with someone new." This phrase is repeated multiple times, acting as the song's core confession and thesis. Its repetition drills home the central theme of fleeting, serial infatuation as a coping mechanism.

Another significant recurring idea is that of distraction as a survival art. This is introduced with the line, "There's an art to life's distractions," and the concept underpins the entire motivation for falling for "someone new." It suggests a deliberate, practiced method of avoiding a harsh reality.

The phrase "the stranger the better" appears near the end, serving as a powerful and cynical conclusion to the narrator's logic. It clarifies that the goal is not connection but novelty and detachment, reinforcing the theme of loneliness.

Finally, the idea of there being "no right way" is a recurring philosophical justification for the narrator's behavior, suggesting a rejection of conventional norms in love and life, which allows him the freedom for his transient lifestyle.