“It’s been seven hours and fifteen days / since you took your love away…”: It’s the very first lines that stick in your mind. Sinéad O’Connor probably sang one of the most famous love songs in music history – the song “Nothing Compares 2 U” made her known worldwide in 1990. The Irish singer has now died at the age of 56, as reported by several media, citing her family.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Sinead,” the Irish Times newspaper, Irish broadcaster RTÉ and the BBC quoted as saying from a family statement on Wednesday evening. Family and friends therefore asked to maintain their privacy during this difficult time.
In her music video at the time, she was seen with a shaved head in front of a black background. There could be anger in her voice, sadness, vulnerability. The Irish singer celebrated international success, but was also known for scandalous performances.
She was born on December 8, 1966. Her parents separated early and O’Connor initially grew up with her mother. She later repeatedly claimed that her mother mistreated and abused her. O’Connor spoke about mental health issues more often in her life and threatened to retire from the music business more often.
She was never able to build on the great success of her earlier career. 2011 was a particularly dramatic year as she tweeted suicidal threats and desperate calls for help. A few months later she canceled her planned tour because of a manic-depressive illness.
The Irish singer had four children, one of whom she lost more than a year ago – her then 17-year-old son. She has been married several times. She also tried different approaches spiritually. A few years ago it was announced that she had converted to Islam. In the 1990s, she was allegedly ordained a priest by a Catholic splinter group.
She also addressed her mother’s accidental death in her version of “Nothing Compares 2 U” – a song written by Prince (1958-2016). A closeup of her face was seen in the music video. “I go out every night and sleep all day”, it says in the text, “since you took your love away”.
