Sinéad O’Connor: A Life of Music and Advocacy

After the sad news of Sinéad O’Connor’s death broke this past Wednesday, we mourn the loss of an incredible singer, activist, and human. Irish-born O’Connor was active in the music scene for decades before choosing to live a simpler life in recent years. Not only was she an incredible artist, O’Connor was never afraid to speak her mind, something that fans admired about her. 

In the late 80s and early 90s, O’Connor’s music career really started to take off. Upon its release, her second album I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got saw global success, selling over seven million copies. Stemming from this album, was her biggest song of her career “Nothing Compares 2 U”. The song did so well, in fact, that the Billboard Music Awards called it the Number One World Single of 1990. Between 1989 and 1996, O’Connor was nominated for seven Grammy Awards and won one.  

This moment, however huge, was not the end of O’Connor’s career, as she went on to release ten studio albums and performed on some of the most famous stages in the world. Throughout all of this, O’Connor began to use her platform for activism. While she often got country-wide backlash for her views, she never failed to stand up for what she believed was right. Over the years, she spoke out about racism, homophobia, and misogyny. O’Connor was willing to risk her career to have a positive impact on human rights. 

In 1990, O’Connor recorded a song for the Red Hot + Blue album, which was one of the first music-based fundraisers focused on fighting AIDS. O’Connor also recorded a track with Mary J. Blige for a campaign focused on bringing awareness to sex trafficking and the treatment of young girls in the United States. 

Though O’Connor officially retired from music in 2021 with the release of her final album, she did release a memoir outlining her life, controversies, and career. Towards the end of her life, she decided to step back from the spotlight and spend time with her family. 

As we think about Sinéad O’Connor, her art, and her humanitarian work, we’re in awe of how one person could leave such an impact on the world.