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Sinead O’Connor, the Irish bald beauty who burst onto the American entertainment scene in the 90s, has died at the age of 56.

“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,” the singer’s family said in a statement.

In recent years, O’Connor shared her struggles with mental illness. Her cause of death has not yet been released.

The talented woman was known as much for controversy as she was for her beautiful voice. She was unabashedly honest about her spiritual journey, activism, socio-political views, as well as her trauma.

MUSIC CAREER

O’Connor released 10 studio albums: 1992’s Am I Not Your Girl? and 1994’s Universal Mother both went gold in the UK. 2000’s Faith and Courage received gold status in Australia, and 2005’s Throw Down Your Arms went gold in Ireland. Her work also includes songs for films, collaorations with many other artists, and appearances at charity fundraising concerts. Her 2021 memoir, “Rememberings,” was a best seller.

According to Wikipedia, O’Connor was born in the Cascia House Nursing Home at 13 Pembroke Road, Dublin, on 8 December 1966. She was named Sinéad after Sinéad de Valera, the mother of the doctor presiding over the delivery, Éamon de Valera, Jnr., and Bernadette in honor of Saint Bernadette of Lourdes. She was also the third of five children.

1980s

One of the volunteers at Grianán was the sister of Paul Byrne, drummer for the band In Tua Nua, who heard O’Connor singing “Evergreen” by Barbra Streisand. She recorded a song with them called “Take My Hand” but they felt that at 15, she was too young to join the band. Through an ad she placed in Hot Press in mid-1984, she met Colm Farrelly. Together they recruited a few other members and formed a band called Ton Ton Macoute. The band moved to Waterford briefly while O’Connor attended Newtown School, but she soon dropped out of school and followed them to Dublin, where their performances received positive reviews. Their sound was inspired by Farrelly’s interest in world music, though most observers thought O’Connor’s singing and stage presence were the band’s strongest features.

1990s

Her second album – 1990’s I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got – gained considerable attention and mostly positive reviews: it was rated “second best album of the year” by the NME. O’Connor was praised for her voice and her original songs. She was also noted for her appearance: her trademark shaved head, often angry expression, and sometimes shapeless or unusual clothing.

The album “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got,” featured Marco Pirroni and Kevin Mooney, of Adam and the Ants fame, and contained her international breakthrough hit “Nothing Compares 2 U,” a song written by Prince.

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SNL CONTROVERSY

In 1990, O’Connor was criticised after she stated that she would not perform if the United States national anthem was played before one of her concerts. Frank Sinatra threatened to “kick her in the ass”. After receiving four Grammy Award nominations, she withdrew her name from consideration. Although nominated for the Brit Award for International Female Solo Artist (which she won) she did not attend the awards ceremony, but did accept the Irish IRMA in February 1991.

In October 1992, O’Connor appeared on Saturday Night Live as a musical guest. She sang an a cappella version of Bob Marley’s “War,” which she intended as a protest against sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church, referring to child abuse rather than racism. She then presented a photo of Pope John Paul II to the camera while singing the word “evil,” after which she tore the photo into pieces, said “Fight the real enemy,” and threw the pieces towards the camera. The incident occurred nine years before John Paul II acknowledged the sexual abuse within the Church.

Saturday Night Live had no foreknowledge of O’Connor’s plan because during the dress rehearsal, she held up a photo of a refugee child. NBC Vice-president of Late Night Rick Ludwin recalled that when he saw O’Connor’s action, he “literally jumped out of [his] chair”. SNL writer Paula Pell recalled personnel in the control booth discussing the cameras cutting away. The audience was completely silent, with no booing or applause. Executive producer Lorne Michaels recalled that “the air went out the studio.” He ordered that the applause sign not be used.

During his opening monologue the following week, Catholic-raised host Joe Pesci held up the photo, explaining that he had taped it back together, to huge applause. Pesci also said that if it had been his show, “I would have gave [sic] her such a smack.”

In a 2002 interview with Salon, when asked if she would change anything about the SNL appearance, O’Connor replied, “Hell, no!” In her 2021 book “Rememberings,” O’Connor said of the incident: “Everyone wants a pop star, see? But I am a protest singer. I just had stuff to get off my chest. I had no desire for fame.”

Madonna’s reaction

When Catholic-raised Madonna appeared later that season on SNL, after singing “Bad Girl,” she held up a photo of Joey Buttafuoco, saying “fight the real enemy,” and tore it up. Madonna also roundly attacked O’Connor in the press for the incident, telling the Irish Times: “I think there is a better way to present her ideas rather than ripping up an image that means a lot to other people.” She added, “If she is against the Roman Catholic Church and she has a problem with them, I think she should talk about it.”

The New York Times called it “professional jealousy” and wrote:

After Madonna had herself gowned, harnessed, strapped down and fully stripped to promote her album Erotica and her book, “Sex,” O’Connor stole the spotlight with one photograph of a fully clothed man. But the other vilification that descended on O’Connor showed she had struck a nerve.

In November 1991, a year prior to the incident, O’Connor had told Spin magazine:

Madonna is probably the hugest role model for women in America. There’s a woman who people look up to as being a woman who campaigns for women’s rights. A woman who in an abusive way towards me, said that I look like I had a run in with a lawnmower and that I was about as sexy as a Venetian blind. Now there’s the woman that America looks up to as being a campaigner for women, slagging off another woman for not being sexy.

HER FAITH

In 1999, she was ordained as a priest by the Latin Tridentine Church, a sect that is not recognized by the mainstream Catholic Church. She consistently spoke out on issues related to child abuse, human rights, anti-racism, organised religion, and women’s rights. In 2017, O’Connor changed her name to Magda Davitt. After converting to Islam in 2018, she changed it to Shuhada’ Sadaqat.

Despite the name changes, musically, she continued to record and perform under her birth name.

Rest in peace, you talented soul.