Irish singer Sinead O’Connor dies aged 56
SKY NEWS UK
By Dan Cairns, news reporter
Wednesday 26 July 2023 22:04, UK
Tributes have come from Irish politicians, fellow musicians such as Bryan Adams and Ian Brown, as well as UFC star Conor McGregor.
Irish singer Sinead O’Connor has died aged 56, her family has confirmed.
She was best known for her 1990 song Nothing Compares 2 U – the track made her a global star, partly due to its iconic video.
A family statement said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinead.
“Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.”
No cause of death was given.
Live – Tributes to an ‘unmatched talent’
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar tweeted: “Her music was loved around the world and her talent was unmatched and beyond compare.”
Singer Alison Moyet tweeted she had a “voice that cracked stone”, while ex-Stone Roses star Ian Brown said working with her was “a highlight of my musical life”.
Bryan Adams posted a picture of O’Connor and said he “loved” working and chatting with her.
Irish UFC star Conor McGregor also shared images and said Ireland had “lost an iconic voice and one of our absolute finest”.
The singer was known for her outspoken views on subjects such as religion, war and feminism.
She infamously tore up a photo of the Pope on Saturday Night Live in 1992 to protest against abuse in the Catholic Church.
O’Connor converted to Islam in 2018 and changed her name to Shuhada Sadaqat, but still performed under her old name.
The singer cancelled gigs in 2021 after announcing she was entering a one-year programme for trauma and addiction.
The following year her 17-year-old son Shane died by suicide.
O’Connor referenced his death in an emotional tweet last week in which she said she was “lost” without him.
She posted a row of crying emojis alongside a photo of the pair and said she had been “living as undead night creature since [his death]”
“He was the love of my life, the lamp of my soul. We were one soul in two halves,” she wrote.
Singer-songwriter Sinead O’Connor performs on stage at Vogue Theatre on February 01, 2020 in Vancouver, Canada
Image:
O’Connor on stage in Vancouver in 2020
The singer recorded 10 studio albums and was nominated for eight Grammys, but never topped the huge success of Nothing Compares 2 U – originally written by Prince.
The intense close-up of the singer – and her tear during the video – is instantly recognisable to a generation of fans.
She once said she had shaved her head in response to music bosses pressuring her to be conventionally glamorous.
SINEAD O’CONNOR WAS RIDICULED – BUT TIME PR