About our Sinéad O'Connor news
Latest news on Sinéad O'Connor, an Irish singer and activist who died at the age of 56 in July 2023. She was best known for her 1990 single Nothing Compares 2 U, a cover of a Prince song that topped charts around the world and won her a Grammy award. She released 10 studio albums that spanned various genres, from alternative rock to reggae, and collaborated with artists such as Peter Gabriel, Massive Attack, and Moby.
O'Connor was also known for her outspokenness and controversy, especially regarding issues such as child abuse, human rights, organised religion, and women's rights. She famously tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live in 1992, as a protest against the Catholic Church's cover-up of sexual abuse. She also ordained herself as a priest in an independent Catholic church in 1999, but converted to Islam in 2018 and changed her name to Shuhada' Sadaqat.
O'Connor struggled with her mental and physical health throughout her life, and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and fibromyalgia. She also had four children, one of whom, Shane, died by suicide in 2022. Her memoir, Rememberings, was published in 2021 and became a bestseller.
Tributes have poured in for O'Connor from fans, celebrities, and politicians, who praised her talent, authenticity, courage, and influence. Irish President Michael D Higgins said she was "one of our greatest and most gifted composers, songwriters and performers of recent decades". Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said her music "was loved around the world and her talent was unmatched".