Sinéad O'Connor

Sinéad O'Connor
O'Connor performing in 2014
Born
Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor

(1966-12-08)8 December 1966
Dublin, Ireland
Died26 July 2023(2023-07-26) (aged 56)
London, England
Resting placeDean's Grange Cemetery
Other names
  • Mother Bernadette Mary
  • Magda Davitt
  • Shuhada' Sadaqat[1]
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • musician
  • activist
Years active1984–2023
WorksDiscography
Spouses
John Reynolds
(m. 1989; div. 1991)
[2][3]
    Nick Sommerlad
    (m. 2001; div. 2003)
    [4]
      Steve Cooney
      (m. 2010; div. 2011)
      [5]
        Barry Herridge
        (m. 2011)
        [6][7]
        Children4
        RelativesJoseph O'Connor (brother)
        Musical career
        Genres
        Instruments
        • Vocals
        • guitar
        Labels
        • Ensign
        • Chrysalis
        • Vanguard
        • Chocolate and Vanilla
        • One Little Indian
        • Nettwerk
        Websitesineadoconnor.com

        Shuhada' Sadaqat[a] (born Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor; /ʃɪˈnd/ shin-AYD, Irish Gaelic: [ˈʃɪnʲed̪ˠ]; 8 December 1966 – 26 July 2023) was an Irish singer-songwriter, record producer and activist.[8] Her debut studio album, The Lion and the Cobra, was released in 1987 and achieved international chart success. Her 1990 album, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got, was her biggest commercial success, selling over seven million copies worldwide.[9] Its lead single, "Nothing Compares 2 U", was named the top world single of the year at the Billboard Music Awards.[10]

        O'Connor achieved chart success with Am I Not Your Girl? (1992) and Universal Mother (1994), both certified gold in the UK,[11] as well as Faith and Courage (2000), certified gold in Australia.[12] Throw Down Your Arms (2005) achieved gold status in Ireland.[13] Her career encompassed songs for films, collaborations with numerous artists, and appearances at charity fundraising concerts. O'Connor's memoir, Rememberings, was released in 2021 and became a bestseller.[14]

        O'Connor drew attention to issues such as child abuse, human rights, racism, and women's rights. During a Saturday Night Live performance in 1992, nearly a decade before the world became fully aware of the prolific sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church, she tore up a photograph of Pope John Paul II to protest against the abuse, sparking controversy. Throughout her musical career, she openly discussed her spiritual journey, activism, socio-political viewpoints, and her experiences with trauma and struggles with mental health. Having converted to Islam in 2018, she adopted the name Shuhada' Sadaqat[17] while continuing to perform and record under her birth name.[18] In 2024, O'Connor was posthumously nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

        1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Allmusicbio was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
        2. ^ "Rocker Sinead is wed". Irish Independent. 18 March 1989. p. 3. Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
        3. ^ "Sinead takes divorce option". Irish Independent. 11 November 1991. p. 5. Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
        4. ^ Nolan, Marie (8 February 2003). "Sinead's second marriage finished". Evening Herald. p. 1. Archived from the original on 11 August 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023 – via Irish Newspaper Archives.
        5. ^ Cite error: The named reference RTÉ ten-2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
        6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Independent.ie-2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
        7. ^ "'I married the right man... I'm renewing my marriage vows to Barry' – Sinead O'Connor". Independent.ie. 20 February 2014. Archived from the original on 30 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
        8. ^ "Can fame make you happy? | Big Questions with Sinéad O'Connor". Penguin Books UK. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
        9. ^ McCormick, Neil (26 July 2023) [2 August 2014]. "Sinéad O'Connor: 'Live with the devil and you find there's a God'". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
        10. ^ "Winners Database". Billboard Music Awards. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
        11. ^ "Certified Awards Search". www.bpi.co.uk. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
        12. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2000" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
        13. ^ "2005 Certification Awards". Retrieved 7 February 2011.
        14. ^ Chilton, Martin (3 June 2021). "Books of the Month: From Sinead O'Connor's Rememberings to Lisa Taddeo's Animal". The Independent. Archived from the original on 31 May 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
        15. ^ Wilkinson, Bard (26 October 2018). "Sinead O'Connor converts to Islam and changes name to Shuhada'". CNN. Archived from the original on 7 July 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
        16. ^ "Sinéad O'Connor converts to Islam". BBC News. 26 October 2018. Archived from the original on 1 June 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
        17. ^ [1][15][16]
        18. ^ Hanratty, Dave (8 September 2019). "Reaction to Sinéad O'Connor on Late Late shows we still have a long way to go on empathy and mental health". Joe.ie. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2019.


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