Current:Home > Contact-us"Rest in Power": Celebrities react to the death of Sinéad O'Connor-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
"Rest in Power": Celebrities react to the death of Sinéad O'Connor
View Date:2024-12-24 00:05:56
As news broke Wednesday about the death of Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor at the age of 56, many around the world took to social media to share tributes to the artist arguably best known for her cover of the Prince song "Nothing Compares 2 U."
O'Connor overcame a difficult childhood, achieving her first major musical success in the late 1980s for her debut album "The Lion and the Cobra." But it was her second album, "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got," which made her a household name. She earned one Grammy win and eight nominations, and was named Rolling Stone artist of the year in 1991.
Along with her music, O'Connor was known for her outspoken stance on political and social issues, and was open about her struggles with mental health. Stars across the world Wednesday remembered and celebrated the singer for her fiery spirit.
Actress Jamie Lee Curtis dedicated a post on Instagram to O'Connor, recognizing the artist's "beautiful" voice and "brilliant" personality.
"I loved her. Her music. Her life. She was a victim of child abuse and a huge change agent for unfair and unjust draconian laws that she helped change in Ireland," Curtis wrote alongside a black and white photo of O'Connor.
"She was a warrior. She was a rebel," Curtis continued. "She ripped up a photograph that was on her mother's wall because of the hypocrisy of the abusive life she was raised in under the banner of the church."
Singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge called O'Connor's death "a tragedy."
"She was haunted all her life. What a talent," Etheridge wrote on social media. "I remember my first Grammy show meeting this small shy Irish girl."
Rapper Ice T gave his "respect to Sinead."
"She stood for something… Unlike most people," he said.
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar wrote that O'Connor's "music was loved around the world and her talent was unmatched and beyond compare."
Irish President Michael D. Higgins applauded O'Connor's "extraordinary" singing voice, as well as her voice for social change.
"To those of us who had the privilege of knowing her, one couldn't but always be struck by the depth of her fearless commitment to the important issues which she brought to public attention, no matter how uncomfortable those truths may have been," Higgins said in a statement.
Irish actress Caitríona Balfe thanked O'Connor for her music and talent.
"I hope you are at peace … and with your baby boy," Balfe said, referencing O'Connor's teen son Shane, who died by suicide in 2022. "Thank you for sharing your soul with us and soothing us with your incredible voice beautiful Sinéad."
Canadian musician Bryan Adams remembered O'Connor and the times they shared together.
"I loved working with you making photos, doing gigs in Ireland together and chats," Adams wrote. "All my love to your family."
Singer Alison Moyet said she was "heavy hearted" over the loss of O'Connor, calling her an "iconoclast."
"Wanted to reach out to her often but didn't," Moyet wrote. "I remember her launch. Astounding presence. Voice that cracked stone with force & by increment. As beautiful as any girl around & never traded on that card."
- In:
- Grammys
- Music
- Jamie Lee Curtis
- Sinead O'Connor
- Ireland
Simrin Singh is a social media producer and trending content writer for CBS News.
veryGood! (161)
Related
- CFP bracket prediction: SEC adds a fifth team to field while a Big Ten unbeaten falls out
- MLB national anthem performers: What to know about Cody Johnson, Ingrid Andress
- Last summer Boston was afflicted by rain. This year, there’s a heat emergency
- Rachel Lindsay Ordered to Pay Ex Bryan Abasolo $13,000 in Monthly Spousal Support
- Trump hammered Democrats on transgender issues. Now the party is at odds on a response
- National I Love Horses Day celebrates the role of horses in American life
- John F. Kennedy Jr. died in a plane crash 25 years ago today. Here's a look at what happened on July 16, 1999.
- Horoscopes Today, July 16, 2024
- Lady Gaga Joins Wednesday Season 2 With Jenna Ortega, So Prepare to Have a Monster Ball
- Plain old bad luck? New Jersey sports betting revenue fell 24% in June from a year ago
Ranking
- Avril Lavigne’s Ex Mod Sun Is Dating Love Is Blind Star Brittany Wisniewski, Debuts Romance With a Kiss
- More than 2 dozen human skeletons dating back more than 1,000 years found in hotel garden
- Supreme Court grants stay of execution for Texas man seeking DNA test in 1998 stabbing death
- Southwest Airlines offers Amazon Prime Day deals. Here's how much you can save on flights.
- Jimmy Kimmel, more late-night hosts 'shocked' by Trump Cabinet picks: 'Goblins and weirdos'
- The billionaire who fueled JD Vance's rapid rise to the Trump VP spot — analysis
- Arthur Frank: Key tips for choosing a cryptocurrency exchange
- Why a London man named Bushe is on a mission to turn his neighbors' hedges into art
Recommendation
-
Contained, extinguished and mopping up: Here’s what some common wildfire terms mean
-
California gender-identity law elicits praise from LGBTQ+ advocates, backlash from parent groups
-
National I Love Horses Day celebrates the role of horses in American life
-
USWNT vs. Costa Rica live updates: Time, how to stream Olympics send-off game tonight
-
DWTS' Sasha Farber Claps Back at Diss From Jenn Tran's Ex Devin Strader
-
Stein, other North Carolina Democrats have fundraising leads entering summer
-
2024 MLB draft tracker day 3: Every pick from rounds 11-20
-
Summit Wealth Investment Education Foundation: Empowering Investors Worldwide