Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor has died.

She was 56.

Her death was reported by RTE, Ireland’s public broadcaster.

According to a family statement shared by RTE: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad. Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.”

Irish President Michael D Higgins praised O'Connor's "authenticity" and her "beautiful, unique voice".

"What Ireland has lost at such a relatively young age is one of our greatest and most gifted composers, songwriters and performers of recent decades, one who had a unique talent and extraordinary connection with her audience, all of whom held such love and warmth for her," he said.

No cause of death was revealed.

Known for her views

Her music, personal struggles, and social and political views were well-known.

She was best known for her single "Nothing Compares 2 U", released in 1990.

Born Sinead Marie Bernadette O'Connor in Glenageary, County Dublin, in December 1966, the singer had a difficult childhood.

Her musical career began after a nun bought her a guitar and set her up with a music teacher.

She released her first critically acclaimed album "The Lion And The Cobra" in 1987, which entered the top 40 in the UK and US.

Her follow-up, "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got", included "Nothing Compares 2 U".

The song was written by Prince and reached number one around the world.

In total, she released 10 studio albums between 1987 and 2014.

In 1992, during a performance, she ripped up a picture of Pope John Paul II on U.S. TV show "Saturday Night Live".

She looked at the camera and said "fight the real enemy", a protest against child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.

She was banned for life by broadcaster NBC and protests against her in the U.S. saw copies of her records destroyed in New York's Times Square.

In an interview with the New York Times in 2021, she said about her actions: "I'm not sorry I did it. It was brilliant."

O'Connor's last studio album, "I'm Not Bossy, I'm The Boss", was released in 2014.

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