In what promises to be a lively, entertaining and one imagines controversial read, Hot Press’ Olaf Tyaransen is to write the first officially sanctioned Sinéad O’Connor biography – which is being assembled with the singer's full co-operation and approval.

Describing Olaf as “a fucking amazing writer”, O'Connor is keen to set the record straight “since so many other fuckers have done them and got everything arse-ways.

“It won’t be like, ‘Oh, isn’t Sinéad fucking great and perfect’ or anything,” she continues.

Rather, she predicts that the book will be warts 'n' all.

"Olaf’s gonna be hanging around now and then observing shit," she adds, "so if you see a strange looking brown-haired man smiling at you questioningly with beer in both hands, that will be him.”

For his part, Mr. T says: “Sinéad O’Connor is undoubtedly one of the most important, talented, controversial and trail-blazing artists Ireland has ever produced. She’ll still be remembered in 200 years time, not just here but all over the world. And she has a truly extraordinary tale to tell. I’m honoured that she’s asked me to write her life story. It's going to be an interesting year...”

Fans with Sinéad tales to tell are invited to contact [link][email protected][/link].

As it happens, O'Connor is currently in a rich vein of form, with her pre-Christmas Olympia show garnering rave reviews similar to those attracted by her UK dates earlier in December.

Meanwhile, her outstanding performance of 'Lay Your Head Down' in the film Albert Nobbs has been nominated for a Golden Globe as Best Original Song. The tune, a lullaby, is written by the Irish conductor and composer Brian Byrne, and the actress Glenn Close, who contributed the lyrics. It features at the end of the movie, in which the latter stars as a woman who dresses as a man to keep her job at a Dublin guesthouse and is sung to a young boy.

Sinéad, meanwhile, is preparing to travel to Hollywood this week for a special pre-Oscar performance, with the longlist for the Academy Awards set to be whittled down to a shortlist of the final nominations.

It promises to be an intense and fascinating few months for the Dubliner, with her own highly anticipated new album How About I Be Me (And You Be You) set for February release.