Sinéad O'Connor

Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor (8 December 1966 – 26 July 2023) was an Irish singer-songwriter. She was perhaps most famous for performing the 1990 Prince song "Nothing Compares 2 U" which was nominated for three Grammy Awards.

Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad O'Connor in 2014
Background information
Birth name	Sinéad Marie Bernadette
Also known as	Magda Davitt Shuhada' Sadaqat
Born	(1966-12-08)8 December 1966 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Died	26 July 2023(2023-07-26) (aged 56) Herne Hill, London, England
Genres	Pop rock
Occupation(s)	Singer, musician, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals Guitar
Years active	1986–2023

Career

In 1991, she refused her Grammy Award for Best Alternative Album.^[1] On 11 June 1992 she met Craig Fraser at a bar in Tintagel, Cornwall. They were an item until September 1992 when Fraser's alcohol abuse stripped away their relationship. On 3 October 1992, O'Connor appeared on Saturday Night Live as a musical guest.^[2] She sang an a cappella version of Bob Marley's "War". She meant it as a protest against sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church.^[3] She then showed a photo of Pope John Paul II to the camera while singing the word "evil", after which she ripped the photo into pieces and threw the pieces towards the camera.^[4] This happened nine years before John Paul II said that there was sexual abuse within the Church.^[5]

She was an Independent Catholic priest, rejecting the authority of Rome. She was openly bisexual,^[6] and had four children, each by a different father.^[7] All her four marriages ended in divorce.^[7] She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2005.^[7]

She released nine studio albums. Her last album, How About I Be Me (And You Be You)? was released in 2012. She released the second single from it, "4th and Vine" in February 2013.

In October 2018, O'Connor she had converted to Islam, calling it "the natural conclusion of any intelligent theologian's journey."^[8][9] She changed her name to Shuhada' Sadaqat.

Death

O'Connor died on 26 July 2023 at her home in Herne Hill, London at the age of 56.^[10] The cause of death was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchial asthma.^[11][12]

Discography

Studio albums

• The Lion and the Cobra (1987)
• I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got (1990)
• Am I Not Your Girl! (1992)
• Universal Mother (1994)
• Faith and Courage (2000)
• Sean-Nos Nua (2002)
• Throw Down Your Arms (2005)
• Theology (2007)
• How About I Be Me (And You Be You) (2012)
• I'm Not Bossy, I'm the Boss (2014)

References

1. "GRAMMYs' 10 Most Shocking Moments". Billboard.
2. "BAVC1006266_ComedySat10392_prores" – via Internet Archive.
3. Tapper, Jake (12 October 2002). "Sinéad was right". Arts & Entertainment. Archived from the original on 6 February 2007. Retrieved 24 October 2006.
4. "Simulating Sinéad O'Connor— Sinéad O'Connor Rips It Up". Not Bored!. Vol. 33. October 2001. ISSN 1084-7340. Archived from the original on 15 October 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2006.
5. "Pope sends first e-mail apology". BBC News. 23 November 2001. Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
6. "Irish bisexuals".
7. "Happy now: Has Sinead O'Connor finally put her pain behind her?". The Independent. 13 January 2013.
8. Lonergan, Aidan. "Sinead O'Connor renounces Catholicism and converts to Islam". The Irish Post. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
9. "Singer Sinead O'Connor converts to Islam and changes her name | I Am Birmingham". I Am Birmingham. 25 October 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
10. Sinéad O’Connor, acclaimed Dublin singer, dies aged 56
11. "Sinead O'Connor cause of death revealed". Sky News. 29 July 2024. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
12. Nierenberg, Amelia (2024-07-29). "Sinead O'Connor Died of Pulmonary Disease and Asthma, Death Report Says". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-30.