Sinéad O'Connor: Belfast producer David Holmes on the album "about healing" the pair were creating together

Music
27 Jul 23

Sinead O'Connor at Vicar Steet, Dublin 27.10.2019 Copyright Colm Kelly

"We only had one track to record which we planned on creating in [September], but saying that, the 8 tracks we finished together, each one as powerful as the next," he remarks.

Belfast DJ, producer and composer David Holmes has shared a moving tribute to Sinéad O'Connor following news of her tragic death – revealing the he and the Irish music icon were working on an album, for which they had only one track left to record.

In his Instagram post, David recalls approaching Sinéad after Shane MacGowan's 60th birthday celebrations in 2018 – and telling her that he "wanted to make a record with her about healing."

"To my surprise her ears pricked up and after a quick chat she gave me her number not having a clue who I was," he continues. "I’ll never forget that moment and how tickled she was – fully endorsing my brass neck. That was Sinéad."

He goes on to note that, over the course of the next five years, the pair "somehow made that record."

"We only had one track to record which we planned on creating in [September], but saying that, the 8 tracks we finished together, each one as powerful as the next," he states.

David described each instance of recording her in his studio as "a pinch yourself moment."

"I really felt that I was in the presence of greatness like a Nina Simone, Billie Holiday or Karen Dalton," he adds. "A giant in popular music but what made her so special, apart from that voice and vision was her fearlessness & honesty not only as an artist but as a human being..."

Sinéad had previously spoken to Hot Press about working on the album, back in September 2020.

“I was up with David in Belfast the other day, it really is one of my favourite places in the world,” she told Stuart Clark.

“I really want the shit out now,” she said of the album. “I slipped out the ‘Milestones’ demo without asking anyone, and that’s not kosher. Everyone’s nervous I’ll do it again because I get very impatient, but I won’t. It all depends on when I’ll be able to go out and tour it.”

David Holmes has composed numerous scores for film and TV, including the acclaimed Killing Eve soundtrack

You can read his full Instagram post below: