Remembering Sinéad O’Connor – Singer, Songwriter, Activist And Ally
TRIGGER WARNING: The following story contains mentions of mental health, child abuse, racism and political protest. Discretion would be advised for any reader who is sensitive to these matters.
On Wednesday, July 26, Sinéad O’Connor’s family announced that the singer had died. O’Connor was known for her passionate and uncompromising musical style along with her political activism and a longstanding commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community.
Artists from around the world have paid tribute to O’Connor and her impact as an artist. In a rare public statement, Kate Bush wrote on her website, “It’s like a light has gone out, hasn’t it? A beacon on a high mountain. Sinéad didn’t just move us with her incredibly emotive voice, she stood up with it. I salute her. We were lucky to have such a magical presence move among us.”
During a live show, fellow Irish singer Hosier (also an LGBTQIA+ ally) said, “It’s very, very hard to quantify. Her courage and her honesty and the truth that she spoke cost her a great deal. I stand here as an artist who walks on the roads that she paved, at great cost, and paved with the brilliance of her heart.”
Sinéad’s Impact On A Global Scale
O’Connor was known for her distinctive voice, powerful lyrics, and iconic shaved head. Born on December 8, 1966, in Dublin, Ireland, Sinéad Marie Bernadette O’Connor grew up in a turbulent household and faced various challenges during her early years.
Fame came quickly after the release of her 1989 debut album The Lion And The Cobra, but it was her 1990 cover of Prince’s Nothing Compares To You that saw her reach stellar heights, with the single reaching number one around the world. She released 10 studio albums.
During a performance on Saturday Night Live in 1992, O’Connor tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II, saying, “Good must overcome evil.” It was a reference to child abuse within the Catholic Church, a subject that few were discussing at the time. Considered highly controversial and damaging to her career, O’Connor was proven to be right in later years. Following her live protest, she found herself on the outside of the mainstream media, yet continued to speak about oppression where she witnessed it, and that included in the LGBTQIA+ community. She also advocated for women’s rights, victims of child sexual abuse and the anti-racism movement.
She performed with queer electro-pop duo Erasure in 1988 at the UK Pride concert. In 1990, she contributed to the album Red, Hot + Blue, which raised funds and awareness around HIV/AIDS. In more recent years she collaborated with gay electronica hero, John Grant. O’Connor regularly joined Grant on stage when he performed in Ireland, and she covered his song Queen Of Denmark on her album How About I Be Me (And You Be You)? She also sang on several tracks on his album Pale Green Ghosts. In many interviews, she speculated about her own queerness and reiterated her deep commitment to the community.
O’Connor continued to make headlines with her candid interviews about her battles with mental health issues.
Despite her anger at the Catholic Church, in 1999, O’Connor was ordained in the Latin Tridentine, a sect of Catholicism, and became Mother Bernadette Marie. In 2018, O’Connor converted to Islam, changing her name to Shuhada’ Sadaqat.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, visit these resources:
Australia:
Headspace
Web: headspace.org.au
Kids Helpline
Ph: 1800 551 800
Black Dog Institute
Web: blackdoginstitute.org.au
QLife
Web chat: qlife.org.au
Ph: 1800 184 527
US:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Web: suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Ph: 1-800-273-8255
Canada:
The Canada Suicide Prevention Service
Web: crisisservicescanada.ca
Ph: 1-833-456-4566
UK:
The National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK
Web: spbristol.org
Ph: 0800 689 5652
