Person Details

Birthday: 1966-12-08 19:13:28

Aliases: No known aliases

Gender: Female

Place of birth: Dublin, Ireland

Homepage:

Movie Involvements: 27

TV Involvements: 8


Most Famous Work

Biography

Born December 8, 1966, in Dublin, Ireland. After a difficult childhood (her parents divorced early on and her mother was frequently abusive), O'Connor was sent to reform school after being caught shoplifting. Her music career began when she was "discovered" by the drummer of the popular Irish band In Tua Nua and co-wrote their hit song "Take My Hand." Before finishing school, O'Connor ran away to Dublin, where she sang and played guitar on the street and in pubs and worked for a singing telegram service. While performing with a Dublin band called Ton Ton Macoute, O'Connor caught the attention of the two owner-managers of a small London record label called Ensign Records. Ensign released her debut album, The Lion and the Cobra, late in 1987. Critics lauded O'Connor's powerful and expressive voice and noted the complexity of her songs, even while acknowledging their decidedly uncommercial nature. Though it had no major hit singles, the album eventually sold over 500,000 copies and went platinum. With the 1990 release of O'Connor's second album, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got, the baldheaded singer-songwriter became an international star. Driven by the phenomenal success of the smash hit single "Nothing Compares 2 U" (a once-obscure song written by Prince and first recorded by a band called the Family), the album shot to the top of the Billboard charts and nabbed O'Connor four Grammy Award nominations including Best Album, Best Song, Best Female Vocalist, and Best Alternative Album. The video for "Nothing Compares 2 U" won the MTV Award for Video of the Year, and O'Connor was named Artist of the Year in 1991 by Rolling Stone. Her next two albums, Am I Not Your Girl? (1992) and Universal Mother(1994), made far less of an impact either critically or commercially. Soon, however, O'Connor became famous for her controversial public outbursts, beginning in 1989 when she announced her support for the radical Irish Republican Army (IRA); she retracted the statement one year later. She again made headlines in 1990 when she refused to appear onstage in New Jersey if "The Star-Spangled Banner" were played before the concert. In 1991, O'Connor boycotted the Grammy ceremony and refused her award for Best Alternative Album, maintaining that her absence was a protest against the extreme commercialism of the Grammy Awards. Even more publicity surrounded a 1992 performance by O'Connor on Saturday Night Live, during which she tore up a photograph of Pope John Paul II, denouncing the Catholic Church as "the real enemy." Despite her contempt for the clerical hierarchy, O'Connor maintained she was a Catholic and devoutly spiritual.

Most Famous Work

MTV Video Music Awards
Average
8
A Kettle of Colour
Average
2

A Kettle of Colour

(1972) Self - Musician
Top of the Pops
Average
7

Top of the Pops

(1964) Self
Behind the Music
Average
6

Behind the Music

(1997) Self
Verstehen Sie Spaß?
Average
4

Verstehen Sie Spaß?

(1980) Self
Stars 90
Average
6

Stars 90

(1990) self
Wuthering Heights
Average
7

Wuthering Heights

(1992) Emily Bronte (uncredited)
Nothing Compares
Average
8

Nothing Compares

(2022) Self

Acting

Year Character Movie/Tv
2024 Herself
self
2022 Self
2020 Herself
Herself
2015 N/A
Self
2014 Nominee
2010 Self
2008 Herself
2007 Self
2004 Self (archive footage)
2003 N/A
Self
Herself
2002 Self (archive footage)
2000 Self
N/A
1999 Self
1998 Self
Self - Special Guest
Our Lady/Colleen
1997 Self
Self
Self - Guest
Self
1994 Self
1993 N/A
1992 Emily Bronte (uncredited)
Self
Sinéad
1991 Ann of Oxford Street
Self - Guest
Self
1990 Self
self
Self - Vocals
1989 Self
1984 Self
1980 Self
1975 Self - Musical Guest
1972 Self - Musician
1964 Self
Year Character Movie/Tv

Crew

Year Role Movie/Tv
2014 In Memory Of
Year Role Movie/Tv

Sound

Year Role Movie/Tv
1997 Songs
1992 Music
Year Role Movie/Tv

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