Irish singer and activist Sinéad O’Connor has died at the age of 56. her family has announced.
In a statement, the singer’s family said: “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.”
She was best known for her single Nothing Compares 2 U, released in 1990, which reached number one around the world.
The singer had a difficult childhood.As a teenager, she was placed in Dublin’s An Grianan Training Centre, once one of the notorious Magdalene laundries, originally set up to incarcerate young girls deemed to be promiscuous.
One nun bought her a guitar and set her up with a music teacher – which led to the launch of O’Connor’s musical career.
She released her first critically acclaimed album The Lion And The Cobra in 1987, which entered the top 40 in the UK and US.
Her follow up was I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, which included Nothing Compares 2 U.Written by Prince, the song reached number one around the world, including in the US and the UK.
O’Connor’s last studio album, I’m Not Bossy, I’m The Boss, was released in 2014.
Her later albums featured guest spots by her own children, and hymns to peace and community. Earlier this year 2023, she won a classic album award in Ireland, and dedicated it to the country’s refugee community.
Nothing Compares 2 U was the outlier: a song that made her famous against her wishes.
She was a protest singer with a voice that demanded to be heard. That is how we should remember her.
The singer converted to Islam in 2018 and changed her name to Shuhada Sadaqat, though continued to perform under the name Sinéad O’Connor.
O’Connor is survived by her three children. Her son, Shane, died last year aged 17.
