Sinead O'Connor announces her retirement

Sinead O'Connor has announced her retirement from music. In statement that is still shrouded in mystery, the singer – without a doubt one of the most important Irish artists of the past thirty years – says that she will quit the business in July of 2003 "in order to pursue a different career."

The announcement, carried on Sinead's official website, was made on Tuesday of this week, April 22nd. It has been greeted with both sadness and understanding by fans. Those to whom Hot Press has spoken were at first concerned that the statement might be a hoax – but have subsequently confirmed to their satisfaction that it has indeed come from the singer herself.

"I would request that, as of July," the statement says, "I seek no longer to be a 'famous person' and instead I wish to lead a normal life."

In itself, this wish has a familiar resonance for anyone who has followed the career of the singer closely. She has always struggled with the demands of stardom, and the hazardous and frequently unpleasant pressures which it exerts on the lives of those who are unwittingly thrust into the spotlight.

The announcement comes as a major shock nonetheless, given that Sinead had been managing the demands carefully over the past two years – and especially following the attractively low key success of her independently released and widely acclaimed Sean Nos Nua album. However, her relationship with the media has remained fraught, with a number of recent brushes undoubtedly alienating her further from an apparatus that impinges heavily on the privacy of public figures.

Rumours about her private life and her relationships have been used as fodder in the Irish media over a number of years, and this has been an issue for her again in the recent past. Similarly, she was incensed at the way in which her involvement as a guest performer with Massive Attack was covered in the Sunday World – where she was depicted as standing by a musician, Robert "3D" Del Naja, suspected of an involvement with paedophilia.

Del Naja has subsequently been cleared of any suspicion and no charges have been made by the police in Britain. However, Sinead did subsequently withdraw from her planned live appearances with Massive Attack as a result of ill health – and there is a likelihood that these recent controversies represented the final straw for a person who is deeply sensitive and vulnerable.

If this indeed is to signal that we have heard the final artistic expression from Sinead, there is no doubt that she will be hugely missed. She has been an inspirational figure for Irish musicians and singers – especially women – over the past fifteen years and to date has built one of the most impressive legacies of songs and records of any Irish artist. hotpress.com wishes her the very best in any decision she makes – but would look forward with hope that she will feel empowered to grace the world with her music again in the future.

The full statement from Sinead, as produced on her website, runs as follows:

"This is a message from Sinead. This being a very special anniversary for me, I have chosen it to announce that as of July 2003 I shall be retiring from the music business. In order to pursue a different career. The last recordings I will make will be (believe it or not) a track for Dolly Parton's upcoming tribute album and a track for Sharon Shannon's forthcoming album. These will be recorded in May. In July I will be releasing a DVD of a live show and documentary featuring tracks from way back along with tracks fom Sean Nos Nua. The DVD will be entitled "Goodnight, thankyou. You've been a lovely audience." And so ye have.

I wish here to thank everyone who has been a fan and or supporter of mine over the last twenty two years in the music business (first record at 14, deal at 17. Half of first album wrote when 15). As well as all the people whom I have had the honour of working with. Not least the great Dolly Parton herself!
Thanks to all of ye for a great time and a great education. I would request that as of July, since I seek no longer to be a "famous" person, and instead I wish to live a "normal" life, could people please afford me my privacy. By which I mean I would like not to have exploition of myself or my name or anyone connected with me by newspapers.
I also mean that (with love) I want to be like any other person in the street and not have people say there is Sinead O'Connor. As I am a very shy person, believe it or not. So I ask with love, that I be left in peace and privacy by people who love my records too. And I hope it doesnt sound rude. It ain't meant rude. I am glad that ye are helped by my songs. So help me too, by giving me what is best for me, a private life.

My advise to anyone who ever admires a so called "celebrity" if u see them in the street, dont even look at them. If u love them, then the lovingest thing u can do to show them so is leave them alone and don't stare at them! Or bang on restauraunt windows when they in there. Or make them get their picture taken, or write their names on bits of paper. That's pieces of them. And one day they wake up with nothing left of themselves to give.

Love, peace, and don't 4get to pray y'all.

Sinead
P.S This web site will exsist until September. Then bye bye.