Acclaimed Irish singer Sinead O’Connor, who performed memorable Conor McGregor walkout, dead at 56

“The world has lost an artist with the voice of an angel,” Conor McGregor wrote in tribute to Sinead O’Connor after hearing about her death.

Sinead O’Connor, the acclaimed Irish artist who burst onto the music scene with “Nothing Compares 2 U,” has died. She was 56.

O’Connor’s family confirmed her death in a statement to the BBC.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad,” the statement read. “Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.”

News of O’Connor’s death garnered a reaction from former UFC two-division champion and fellow Irish star [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag], who poignantly wrote “Gutted” accompanied by a broken heart emoji in a quote tweet of a video from UFC 189. At that event on July 11, 2015, O’Connor sang during the entirety of McGregor’s walkout before his interim featherweight title fight with Chad Mendes. McGregor went on to win by second-round TKO.

McGregor later followed up with a tribute post in which he referred to O’Connor as “the voice of an Angel.”

The world has lost an artist with the voice of an Angel. Ireland has lost an iconic voice and one of our absolute finest, by a long shot. And I have lost a friend. Sinead’s music will live on and continue to inspire! Rest In Peace, Sinead you are home with your son I am sure ❤️🙏

O’Connor released her debut album, “The Lion and the Cobra,” in 1987, but she didn’t become a star until her second offering, “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got,” in 1990. The album featured the hit single “Nothing Compares 2 U,” a song originally written by Prince and recorded by The Family in 1985, which spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart. The now-iconic music video, which featured close-up shots of a tearful O’Connor throughout, was played constantly on MTV.

Recording artist Sinead O’Connor performs during Conor McGregor’s walkout at UFC 189 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena on July 11, 2015. (Joe Camporeale, USA TODAY Sports)

O’Connor’s fame took a turn toward controversy in 1992 after her appearance on “Saturday Night Live,” in which she tore a picture of Pope John Paul II while performing Bob Marley’s “War.” The shocking TV moment, which O’Connor always stood by, was in protest of child sex abuse in the Catholic Church.

In total, O’Connor recorded 10 studio albums, with her final one – “I’m Not Bossy, I’m the Boss” – released in 2014.

O’Connor’s death comes more than a year after her 17-year-old son, Shane, died by suicide in January 2022.

O’Connor is survived by her other three children.