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Sinéad O’Connor sadly passed away on July 26 at the age of 56 and her cause of death has now been revealed following the autopsy report. The coroner revealed that the “Nothing Compares 2 U” singer died of natural causes, five months after her death on Tuesday, January 9.
The London Inner South Coroner’s Court shared that Sinead’s passing was from natural causes, and they said that they had ended their involvement in their investigation into her death, according to People. O’Connor’s family confirmed her death in a statement on July 26. “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad,” they wrote, per The Irish Times. “Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.”
The sad news comes more than a year after O’Connor’s 17-year-old son Shane died by suicide in January 2022. The singer posted a series of troubling messages to her Twitter account in the weeks following his death, writing, “I’ve decided to follow my son. There’s no point living without him.” Shane was one of O’Connor’s four children.
O’Connor was open about her own struggles with mental health. In 2007, she told Oprah Winfrey that she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder four years previously and that before her diagnosis she had struggled with thoughts of suicide. She said at the time that medication had helped her find more balance, but “it’s a work in progress”. She added, “I don’t think I was born with bipolar disorder—I believe it was created as a result of the violence I experienced.”
Born on December 8, 1966, in Dublin, Ireland, O’Connor’s love for music and her extraordinary talent shone through from an early age. It was also her unique style that set her apart as a true trailblazer. Ditching the conventional glamorous look, she embraced an androgynous image, challenging traditional beauty norms with her shaved head.
But it wasn’t just her appearance that made waves; O’Connor’s music was a force to be reckoned with. Her debut album, “The Lion and the Cobra,” showcased her unique blend of folk, rock, and alternative sounds, earning her critical acclaim and a dedicated following. It was her 1990 release, “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got,” that catapulted her to superstardom, thanks in large part to her unforgettable rendition of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” which topped charts worldwide and earned her four Grammy nominations, including “Record of the Year.”
After a controversial 1992 appearance on Saturday Night Live, which included her ripping up a photo of Pope John Paul II in protest of the Catholic Church’s sexual abuse scandals, O’Connor’s career took a major hit. Following the backlash, Sinead focused on her original music and released “Universal Mother,” “Faith and Courage,” and “How About I Be Me (and You Be You)?”
Sinead O’Connor in 1991. (Everett Collection)
“They all thought I should be made a mockery of for throwing my career down the drain,” O’Connor said in “Nothing Compares,” a documentary about her life released last year. “I didn’t say I wanted to be a pop star. It didn’t suit me to be a pop star. So I didn’t throw away any career that I wanted. It didn’t change my attitude.”
