In her career, the Dublin-born performer released 10 studio albums, while her song “Nothing Compares 2 U” was named by Billboard Music Awards as the number one world single in 1990.
The song, lyrics, and her vocals so emotive. The award-winning song was written by the late Prince, and topped the charts. The song also earned her three Grammy nominations.
The artist went on to become one of Ireland’s most prominent musicians, joining the likes of U2, Enya, and The Cranberries, all of whom gained worldwide popularity in the 1980s and 1990s.
Her politically charged lyrics were softened by her extraordinary voice but still stirred controversy amongst her listeners, some feeling scorned by her divisive words.
In 1992, she appeared on Saturday Night Live and used it as a platform to protest child sex abuse in the Catholic Church by tearing up a photograph of Pope John Paul II.
“I’m not sorry I did it. It was brilliant,” O’Connor later said. “But it was very traumatizing. It was open season on treating me like a crazy bitch.”
The singer of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” also refused to play the U.S. national anthem before her concerts, and boycotted the Grammy Awards, saying she did not want to be “to be part of a world that measures artistic ability by material success.”
In her later years, the legendary singer focused mostly on spirituality and activism. Struggling with her own mental health issues, she became an outspoken champion to bring awareness to those issues.
Her attention was also on her four children–Jake Reynolds (1987), Roisin Waters (1995), Shane Lunny (2004) and Yeshua Bonadio (2006)–but suffered a devastating loss in January 2022 when Shane killed himself by hanging.
“My beautiful son, Nevi’im Nesta Ali Shane O’Connor, the very light of my life, decided to end his earthly struggle today and is now with God,” she Tweeted (per People) at the time. “May he rest in peace and may no one follow his example. My baby. I love you so much. Please be at peace.”
After his death, the singer was immersed in sadness and hospitalized after publicly suggesting she would join her son.
This year, only weeks before the brilliant musician died, O’Connor seemed to be back on track and happy about her future. She announced on Twitter: “Hi All, recently moved back to London after 23 years absence. Very happy to be home : ) Soon finishing my album. Release early next year : ) Hopefully Touring Australia and New Zealand toward end 2024. Europe, USA and other territories beginning early 2025 : )”
Yesterday, after her death was announced, social media comments went from excitement to heartbreak.
Teeming with love, celebrity friends and fans are sharing messages and memorials in honor of the award-winning woman, whose loss leaves a deep void in the industry.
Russell Crowe is among the famous friends who posted a heartfelt tribute on Twitter, where he recounts the meaningful meeting he had with O’Connor.
The 59-year-old actor from New Zealand writes, “Last year, working in Ireland, having a pint in the cold outside a Dalkey pub with some new friends, a woman with purpose strode past us. Puffy parker zipped to the nape and her bowed head covered in a scarf. One of my new friends muttered an exclamation, jumped up and pursued the woman. Thirty metres down the road the friend and the woman embraced and he waived me over. There under streetlights with mist on my breath, I met Sinéad. She looked in my eyes, and uttered with disarming softness ‘oh, it’s you Russell,” said Crowe in a series of posts.
“She came with us back to the table and sat in the cold and ordered a hot tea. In a conversation without fences we roamed through the recent Dublin heatwave, local politics, American politics, the ongoing fight for indigenous recognition in many places, but particularly in Australia, her warm memory of New Zealand, faith, music, movies and her brother the writer.”
Crowe said the conversation with her allowed him “the opportunity to tell her she was a hero of mine.”
The post continues, “When her second cup was taking on the night air, she rose, embraced us all and strode away into the fog-dimmed streetlights. We sat there the four of us and variously expressed the same thing. What an amazing woman. Peace be with your courageous heart Sinéad.”
The cause of death has not yet been reported.
