Sinead O'Connor was found 'unresponsive' at a London home, police say
Further details have emerged on Sinead O'Connor as tributes continue to come in for the 'formidable' singer, as ITV News' Rishi Davda reports
Sinead O'Connor was found unresponsive at a home in south-east London, the Met Police have said.
The singer's death, on Wednesday morning, is not being treated as suspicious, and a file will be sent to the coroner.
In a statement, police said: "Police were called at 11.18am on Wednesday, July 26 to reports of an unresponsive woman in the SE24 area.
"Officers attended. A 56-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
"Next of kin have been notified.
"The death is not being treated as suspicious."
No medical cause has been given for her death and an autopsy will be conducted with results taking up to “several weeks”, London Inner South Coroner’s Court has said.
The statement from the coroner's court said: “The death of Sinead O’Connor in Lambeth was notified to the Coroner on Wednesday 26th July 2023.
“No medical cause of death was given. The Coroner therefore directed an autopsy to be conducted. The results of this may not available for several weeks.
“The decision whether an inquest will be needed will be decided when these results are known and submissions have been heard from the family.
“If an inquest is to be opened, the date of the brief public hearing will be provided on our website.”
O'Connor, born in Dublin, was best known for her song Nothing Compares 2 U, which was named the number one world single in 1990 by the Billboard Music Awards.
She released ten studio albums across a career spanning more than 30 years.
The singer's family said: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinead.
"Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time."
In January 2022, her son Shane O’Connor died at the age of 17, following this she cancelled all upcoming live performances, for the sake of “her own health and wellbeing”.
O'Connor released her first critically acclaimed album The Lion And The Cobra in 1987.
Her second studio album, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, followed in 1990 and continued the singer’s success in the music world.
The record was awarded the Grammy for best alternative music performance, but she did not attend the ceremony in protest.
Instead, she wrote to the Academy, saying the awards “acknowledge mostly the commercial side of art” but she believed an artist’s purpose was to “inspire and, in some way, guide and heal the human race, of which we are all equal members”.
Her musical talent aside, over the years she became well-known for being outspoken about her social and political views.
She made headlines in 1992 when she tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II on US TV show Saturday Night Live.
Stars of stage, screen, musicians and politicians have paid tribute to O'Connor, whose "talent was unmatched and beyond compare”.
The singer Cat Stevens, who like O’Connor converted to Islam, said “she was a tender soul”, while singer-songwriter Billy Bragg described her as “braver than brave”.
Oscar winner Russell Crowe shared a story about meeting her while working in Ireland last year and enjoying a conversation outside a pub.
He wrote: “In a conversation without fences we roamed through the recent Dublin heatwave, local politics, American politics, the ongoing fight for indigenous recognition in many places, but particularly in Australia, her warm memory of New Zealand, faith, music, movies and her brother the writer.
“I had the opportunity to tell her she was a hero of mine.
“What an amazing woman. Peace be with your courageous heart Sinéad.”
Jedward hailed Sinead O’Connor as a “true Irish icon of our generation” as they recalled meeting her earlier this year.
The Irish twin duo tweeted: “Rest in Peace Sinead O’Connor very sad to hear the news.
“True Irish icon of our generation! We only just met her this year and she was in good spirits, a very welcoming person with a big heart.”
Amid the tributes, musician Morrissey released a furious statement.
He said, in a lengthy post on his website: " The cruel playpen of fame gushes with praise for Sinead today … with the usual moronic labels of “icon” and “legend”. You praise her now ONLY because it is too late. You hadn’t the guts to support her when she was alive and she was looking for you. "
He added: "Was this music madness worth Sinead’s life? No, it wasn’t. She was a challenge, and she couldn’t be boxed-up, and she had the courage to speak when everyone else stayed safely silent. She was harassed simply for being herself. "
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