Sinead O’Connor, The Woman Behind the Music

As I learned yesterday the shock, with the rest of the world, that Sinead O’Connor died at 56 years of age, I reflected upon the “Famed Singer’s” life. As many of her fans, I felt her strong resolve and compassion for the children she gave a voice to. She was known for her talent, her rebellion, and her strong resilience, but it was her causes that shaped who she really was.

Sinead O’Connor was a controversial singer/musician/activist that had the guts to stand up for the clergy abuse survivors; children, men, and women who had been abused by priests and those in authority. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests is an organization that helps those who have been abused by religious and intuitional authorities (see the above link for more information). A survivor of abuse and SNL viewer, David Clohessy, who watched the SNL performance of Sinead O’Connor, stated, ““We were all just deeply convinced that we would go to our graves without ever seeing any public acknowledgment of the horror and without any kind of validation whatsoever,” Clohessy said. “That’s what made her words so very powerful.”-AP in this article with AP. Her resolve and controversial stance created contempt from her peers in the music industry and others around the world.

Sinead, according to Wikipedia, or more recently, “Shuhada’ Sadaqat^[9] (previously Magda Davitt; born Sinéad^[b] Marie Bernadette O’Connor; 8 December 1966 – 26 July 2023), known professionally as Sinéad O’Connor, was an Irish singer and musician. Her debut studio album, The Lion and the Cobra, was released in 1987 and charted internationally. Her second studio album, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got (1990), became her biggest success, selling over seven million copies worldwide. Its lead single, “Nothing Compares 2 U“, was named the number-one world single in 1990 by the Billboard Music Awards.” – Wikipedia.com Just a bit of background for those who did not know of the singer. Sinead was a force to recon with. She refused to comply with the system, the music industry, and the form they tried to shape her into.

Sinead was just two years younger than me, and I loved and related to her music. She touched my heart and gave me a voice as I stepped out of my own mother’s grasp on my life. I felt such connection to her song, “Nothing Compares 2 U,” written by Prince. It gave me strength when I felt stripped of it. She sang it with such intensity and compassion that I knew she knew my heart. I became a fan of hers in the late ’80’s.

The song, Nothing Compares 2 U, and her “Clash” encounter with Prince, became another obstacle for her to endure and eventually overcome. With 4 loving children, musical honors, 4 failed marriages, her struggle with her son’s recent death in 2022, and mental health struggles she endured though out her whole life. She tried to live her life as she wanted to lead it. This strong, musician, singer, activist, and enduring honest woman, of soulful compassion, now rests in peace with God. You, Sinead, are truly missed. Blessings.

Album Cover, Sinead O’Connor, The Lion and The Cobra.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, help is available. Call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 for free and confidential counseling.  

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