The Cranberries frontwoman Dolores O'Riordan dies suddenly at 46
Dolores O’Riordan, the acclaimed Irish singer-songwriter who led The Cranberries, died suddenly on Monday at the age of 46.
“Irish and international singer Dolores O’Riordan has died suddenly in London today,” her publicist said in a statement on Monday. “She was 46 years old. The lead singer with the Irish band The Cranberries, was in London for a short recording session. No further details are available at this time.”
O’Riordan, who announced last year that she’d been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, memorably scored the lead singer role of the band, then named The Cranberry Saw Us, after auditioning for it in 1990. From there, The Cranberries released five albums to worldwide success; their most famous record, the 1994 record No Need to Argue, buoyed by the smash-hit single “Zombie,” sold 17 million copies globally and was certified 7x platinum in the United States.
Overall, The Cranberries sold 40 million records worldwide and, after taking a mid-2000s break, recently reunited. They released the compilation album Something Else in April of last year. In addition, O’Riordan created two solo albums, her most recent being No Baggage in 2009.
“We are devastated on the passing of our friend Dolores,” shared O’Riordan’s bandmates in a statement posted on Twitter. “She was an extraordinary talent and we feel privileged to have been part of her life from 1989 when we started the Cranberries. The world has lost a true artist today.”
We are devastated on the passing of our friend Dolores. She was an extraordinary talent and we feel very privileged to have been part of her life from 1989 when we started the Cranberries. The world has lost a true artist today.
Noel, Mike and Fergal— The Cranberries (@The_Cranberries) January 15, 2018
O’Riordan is survived by her three children: Taylor Baxter, Molly Leigh, and Dakota Rain. The children share the last name of O’Riordan’s ex-husband Donald Burton, with whom she split several years ago.
