Sinad O'Connor's Cause Of Death Released

Irish singer-songwriter Sinéad O’Connor died due to natural causes, a London coroners court said in a statement Tuesday.

O’Connor, who changed her name to Shuhada Davitt in 2018 after converting to Islam, died at age 56  on July 26, 2023, at her home in London. 

Southwark Coroners Court said in a statement obtained by HuffPost: “This is to confirm that Ms O’Connor died of natural causes. The coroner has therefore ceased their involvement in her death. No further comments will be made.”

Her death followed the death of her 17-year-old son , Shane O’Connor, in early 2022.

O’Connor was launched into international stardom when she released a cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U”  in 1990. The song, which Prince originally wrote for the funk band, The Family, spent weeks atop the charts in countries across the world and propelled her album “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got” to double platinum status.

Years after Prince’s death, in her 2021 memoir, “Rememberings,” O’Connor recalls how he assaulted her .

The daring singer was known for several stand-out moments throughout her career — including refusing to perform at a concert in New Jersey in 1990 if “The Star Spangled Banner” was played as well as a striking performance at the 1989 Grammy Awards .

She also tore a photo of Pope John Paul II apart on an episode of “Saturday Night Live” in 1992 as a statement against child abuse by the Catholic Church, which promptly led to the music industry blackballing her . 

Having dealt with mental health issues, abuse and the recent death of her son, O’Connor’s personal life was just as complicated as her professional career. 

The “Drink Before the War” singer was open about her mental health challenges before her death — having discussed her suicide attempt on her 33rd birthday and being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, complex post-traumatic stress disorder and borderline personality disorder. 

In 2017, the singer posted a 12-minute video online — one of several alarming posts — detailing her hardships as she grappled with mental health issues.  

“People who suffer from mental illness are the most vulnerable people on Earth,” O’Connor said in the video. “You’ve got to take care of us. We’re not like everybody else. We’re doing our best like everybody else.”

If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org  for mental health support. Additionally, you can find local mental health and crisis resources at dontcallthepolice.com . Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention .

Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for the National Domestic Violence Hotline .

Liza Hearon contributed to this article.