Contents
Sinéad O'Connor
Turning Nothing Compares 2 U into a worldwide hit with a voice of striking emotional force.
The Lion and the Cobra · I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got
- Born
- 8 December 1966
- Birthplace
- Dublin, Ireland
- Died
- 26 July 2023
More people
Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad O’Connor was an Irish singer whose work moved between alternative rock, traditional songs and reggae. Her outspoken public life often challenged the institutions around her.
Early life
Dublin childhood
Grew up among five children; her brother Joseph became a novelist.
Finding a voice
Developed her writing and music during her teenage years at the Grianán Training Centre.
Career
- 1980s
First recordings
Moved into Dublin’s music scene before relocating to London.
- 1987–1990
International breakthrough
Her first two albums established a worldwide audience.
- 1990s–2014
A varied catalogue
Recorded standards, Irish songs and reggae alongside her own material.
- 2021
Memoir
Published Rememberings.
Selected work
The Lion and the Cobra
Debut album, including Mandinka.
I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got
Album featuring Nothing Compares 2 U.
Sean-Nós Nua
Interpretations of traditional Irish songs.
Beyond work
Public protest
Tore up a photograph of Pope John Paul II on television in 1992 while protesting abuse in the Catholic Church.
Spiritual life
Converted to Islam in 2018 and adopted the name Shuhada’ Sadaqat.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Biography and contributions ↗Photo: Bryan Ledgard. CC BY 2.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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