NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: ‘Today’ alum Carson Daly recently gets teary-eyed as he reflected on his "unlikely friendship" with music legend Sinéad O'Connor in an Instagram post following her death.
Sinéad O'Connor was an Irish singer-songwriter and musician who gained international fame for her powerful and distinctive voice. Born on December 8, 1966, in Dublin, Ireland, she emerged as a prominent figure in the music industry during the late 1980s and 1990s. O'Connor's breakthrough came with her second album, ‘I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got’, released in 1990. The album's lead single, ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’, written by Prince, became a massive worldwide hit and remains one of her most iconic songs to this day. She suffered from fibromyalgia and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, complex post-traumatic stress disorder, and borderline personality disorder. She reportedly died on July 26, 2023.
Carson Daly’s ‘unlikely friendship’ with Sinéad O'Connor
The 50-year-old ‘Today’ host shared a throwback clip of him interviewing the late O’Connor on ‘Today’ in 2021. He took to his Instagram to share their virtual meeting where he asked the legend why she said that her 1992 Saturday Night Live performance ‘de-railed her career’. Despite the widely held belief that O'Connor's controversial act on 'SNL', where she tore up a photo of Pope John Paul II, had a negative impact on her career, the singer was unapologetic about her actions.
She candidly admitted that she “never meant to be a pop star” but rather saw herself as a “protest singer”. O’Connor explained that her intention behind tearing the then Pope's photo was to symbolize her protest against the Catholic Church and its actions. Interestingly, Carson pointed out that the “sex abuse scandal of the Catholic Church exploded a decade prior” to O’Connor’s 'SNL' performance, highlighting the timeliness and relevance of her protest. O’Connor emphasized, “Ten years after the Pope ripping episode, you all then found out in America that this [child abuse in the Catholic church] was going on”. She continued, “We [Europeans] always say 'they [Americans] think nothing happened till they found out about it’”.
O'Connor further explained that the act of tearing up the photo of Pope John Paul II turned out to be a “blessing” in disguise. Despite the initial backlash and challenges she faced; it ultimately propelled her towards a path where she could “make a living” doing what she loved the most – “making music live”.
Carson and O’Connor’s friendship stems after the NBC host had a deep conversation with the entertainer in 2021. He complimented on their friendship in an emotional caption, “I was so sad to hear the news of Sinéad O’Connor’s passing today, we formed a recent & unlikely friendship after my interview with her back in 2021 on @todayshow. She spoke passionately about life, music & mental health. I pray she is resting in eternal peace with her beloved son, Shane”.
‘Please be at peace’
In a heart-wrenching statement released recently, her family announced the devastating news of her death, stating, "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”. Tragically, O’Connor’s death comes merely 18 months after the heartbreaking loss of her 17-year-old son, Shane O'Connor.
Shane had been grappling with mental health issues, and his disappearance from Dublin's Tallaght Hospital was a devastating blow to O’Connor and her family. O’Connor spoke of Shane as the "light of my life”, and lovingly referred to him as her "baby”. The loss was profound, and she expressed her love for him, adding, “My baby. I love you so much. Please be at peace." In the wake of his death, she candidly shared her pain, “Been living as an undead night creature since. He was the love of my life, the lamp of my soul. We were one soul in two halves. He was the only person who ever loved me unconditionally."
