Sinéad O'Connor, Grammy Winner And 'Nothing Compares 2 U' Singer, Dead At 56
Irish singer and musician Sinéad O'Connor has died, the Irish Times reported Wednesday. She was 56.
"It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad," the singer's family said in a statement. "Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time."
Her cause of death has not yet been revealed.
O'Connor's career spanned four decades, beginning with her 1987 debut album "The Lion and the Cobra," which reached gold status and earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Female Vocal Rock Performance. Nine more studio albums followed, including her last in 2014 titled, "I'm Not Bossy, I'm the Boss."
The artist wrote on her Facebook page in early July that she was finishing an album to be released next year, and also shared plans to head out on a global tour in 2024-2025.
O'Connor was an eight-time Grammy nominee, winning Best Alternative Music Performance in 1991 for her international breakthrough album, "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got." Additionally, she won three MTV Video Music Awards for her rendition of the Prince-written "Nothing Compares 2 U." That track reached No. 1 in several countries and remained at the top of the charts in Ireland for 11 weeks. The Billboard Music Awards named it the No. 1 world single of 1990.
In 1993, she infamously ripped up a picture of the Pope while performing Bob Marley's "War" on Saturday Night Live. The move was a protest against sexual abuse within the church, and one that caused a huge ripple effect; NBC received over 4,400 complaint calls as a result. (Watch that performance here.)
O'Connor was outspoken about her struggles with mental illness. In a 2007 interview with Oprah Winfrey, the singer revealed her bipolar disorder diagnosis and said that she had attempted suicide in 1999. Years later, she said she'd gotten three additional opinions that all stated she was not, in fact, bipolar.
In 2015, O'Connor posted on her Facebook page that she had taken an overdose stemming from troubles with her ex-husband and the father of her youngest child, Shane. Irish police later said they had located her, and that she was safe and receiving medical attention.
Recently, the singer recorded a version of the Outlander theme song titled, "The Skye Boat Song." Her version (which can be heard here) is currently airing throughout the show's seventh season.
The singer is survived by three of her children. Her son, Shane, died last year at the age of 17.