Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor, performer of the world hit Nothing Compares 2 U, has died at the age of fifty-six, the star’s family announced on Wednesday evening, without explaining the circumstances of her death.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Sinéad. Her family and friends are devastated by the news, and they ask for privacy to be respected during this very difficult time,” read the statement of the relatives on the Irish public television RTE.
The singer’s “music was loved all over the world, her talent was unmatched”, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar responded to the news of her death, expressing his condolences on X (Twitter) to all those who loved her music.
The Dublin-born singer, also known for her extravagant behavior, was one of the most notorious rebels in the history of pop music. In 1990, she became known worldwide with the song Nothing Compares 2 U, composed by Prince, which became the world number one on the Billboard Music Awards chart. Sinéad O’Connor has made ten studio albums and participated in many projects in addition to her own records. Made a reggae cover album, featured on British band The The’s album Mind Bomb (duet with Matt Johnson in Kingdom of Rain), performed B-52’s song (Ain’t It A Shame), Massive Attack’s 2003 CD he contributed to three songs as a singer. She unexpectedly retired from singing in 2003, then made an equally unexpected comeback, releasing four more studio albums over the next decade. She changed her name twice: in 2017 to Magda Davitt, and in 2018 when she converted to Islam to Shuhada Sadaqat, but she continued to perform under the name Sinéad O’Connor.
On June 1st, 2021, she published her memoirs about her childhood, her musical journey and her struggles with mental illness under the title Rememberings. A few days later, she announced that she would retire from touring and record-making, but later withdrew her announcement due to the support of fans and fellow musicians, which – according to her own admission – she made out of sudden excitement, in response to negative comments about her mental health in the media.
She planned her eleventh studio album for last year, but postponed its release indefinitely following the suicide of his 17-year-old son, Shane, and canceled her 2022 tour.
Sinéad O’Connor has also performed several times in Budapest: in 2007 at the Sziget festival, in 2015 as a guest of the Budapest Spring Festival at the Müpa, and as part of her 2019 tour, she also gave a concert at the Akvárium Klub.
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Ireland’s Sinéad O’Connor on the fifth day of the 15th Sziget Festival on August 12th, 2007. (MTI Photo: Péter Kollányi)
