A controversial entertainment figure in the 1990s, O'Connor was notorious for ripping up a picture of the Pope on Saturday Night Live to call attention to child abuse within the church. Her music, and her countenance, were stunning.
Performing in the irony-ridden 1990s, O'Connor was a rare force for urgency and earnestness, taking up social justice causes before they were trendy or profitable, and making waves in the music industry. With her shaved head, often keeping her eyes closed as she sang, her voice filled the hearts of listeners and created a cadre of loyal fans.
When she converted to Islam in 2018, she continued to perform under her given name. Fans had little care for her transformation, only caring about her lyrics, her melodies, and the intense beauty that she carried with her no matter how much she downplayed it.
O'Connor released 10 albums, and sang Nothing Compares 2 U, which was written by Prince. It was the number one single in 1990 on the Billboard charts, The Irish Times reports.
She received countless awards, but was rocked by the tragic death of her son. She said they were two halves of the same soul. She never recovered from his loss.
After she tore up the picture of Pope John Paul II in 1992 at the age of 26, she sang the song "War," including the lyric “And we know we shall win/As we are confident in the victory/Of good over evil."
"Fight the real enemy,” O’Connor said, blowing out the candles that had lit her performance before walking off stage.
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