Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor has passed away at the age of 56, according to a statement from the singer’s family.
The statement, according to BBC, read, “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.”
Who Is Sinéad O’Connor?
Sinéad O’Connor is in Irish singer who was best known for her song “Nothing Compares 2 U,” which she released in 1990. Written by the late musician Prince, “Nothing Compares 2 U” became a number one hit in nearly every single country. The music video became one of the most recognizable of the 1990s, with O’Connor rocking her signature shaved head and a black turtleneck.
Sinéad O’Connor / YouTube
Sinéad Rips Up Photo Of The Pope
She also gained worldwide attention in 1993 when she called out the Catholic Church for abuse of children and ripped up a photo of the pope during her live performance on SNL.
Sinéad O’Connor protests sexual abuse of minors in the church, ripping up a photo of The Pope Live on SNL — earning a lifetime ban from the show.
The following decades would reveal just how pervasive the abuse was. Rest in power. pic.twitter.com/QwjP1lEQ4t
— Kaivan Shroff (@KaivanShroff) July 26, 2023
O’Connor was known for being incredibly outspoken about her social and political views.
Open About Her Struggles
The singer revealed in a 2007 Oprah Winfrey interview that she is bipolar and previously attempted suicide in 1999. But, years later she revealed three doctors confirmed she was not bipolar.
In 2015, she was found “safe and sound” after writing that she had “taken an overdose” on social media.
“The last two nights finished me off,” the post read. “I have taken an overdose. There is no other way to get respect. I am not at home, I’m at a hotel, somewhere in ireland, under another name .”
Her Death Comes One Year After Son’s Suicide
The singer’s death comes one year after her 17-year-old son, Shane, committed suicide. Following his death, she canceled her 2022 tour and indefinitely postponed the album, she was working on and checked herself into a hospital for having suicidal thoughts. O’Connor lost custody of Shane in 2013 and blamed his death on Ireland’s family services, as he was on “suicide watch” at the time he died.
O’Connor is survived by her three other children, Jake Reynolds, Brigidine Roisin Waters, and Yeshua Francis Neil Bonadio, and a grandson.
Sinéad O’Connor’s Cause Of Death
Her cause of death is unknown at this time. We send our heartfelt prayers to her loved ones during this time.