Singer Sinéad O’Connor Dead at 56
Sinéad O'Connor, the acclaimed "Nothing Compares 2 U" singer with over 10 studio albums under her belt, has died. She was 56.
The news was reported by The Irish Times on Wednesday, July 26, though no details of the exact circumstances surrounding her death have been revealed.
O'Connor's family confirmed the news in a statement to the outlet, noting, “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad. Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.”
The update comes just over 18 months after her son Shane died by suicide at age 17 in January 2022.
As a result of the tragedy, O'Connor's team previously announced that all of her scheduled events would be canceled and she would not be performing for the rest of the year. The decision was made "due to continuing grief over the tragic loss of her beloved son Shane," her team stated at the time, per Page Six.
According to the outlet, O'Connor also spoke out to personally shut down any hope of possible gigs in the future. "Just to say, suggestions there’ll be any performances this year or next year or ever again are erroneous," the since-deleted tweet read. "There will never be anything to sing about again. #DropsMike."
According to the Daily Mail, O'Connor had been battling mental health struggles for years, despite her momentous career, including her rendition of Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U," which was named the number one single at the Billboard Music Awards in 1990. She also received Grammy the following year for her album I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got.
Just this year, that same album earned the inaugural award for Classic Irish Album at the RTÉ Choice Music Awards, which took place in March.
O'Connor made headlines back in 1992 after a controversial appearance on Saturday Night Live, where she famously tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II as a commentary on the widespread sexual abuse of children plaguing the Catholic Church. The now-iconic moment garnered heavy criticism from the public, and got her banned from the comedy sketch show for life.
She converted to Islam in 2018, and formally changed her name to Shuhada Sadaqat, though she continued to perform under her known name.
In 2021, O'Connor released her memoir, Rememberings, which was adapted into a documentary film entitled Nothing Compares (2022).
O'Connor is survived by her three other children.
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