Editing Sinéad O'Connor (section)

=== 1990–1993: ''I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got'' ===
O'Connor's second album, ''[[I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got]]'', was released in 1990. It gained considerable attention and mostly positive reviews.<ref name=Mikal>{{cite magazine |last=Gilmore |first=Mikal |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/sinead-oconnor-the-decades-first-new-superstar-194020/ |title=Sinead O'Connor: The Decade's First New Superstar |magazine=Rolling Stone|date=14 June 1990|access-date=10 March 2022}}</ref> ''[[NME]]'' named it the year's second-best album.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nme.com/bestalbumsandtracksoftheyear/1990 |title=NME's best albums and tracks of 1990 |date=10 October 2016 |work=[[NME]] |access-date=18 March 2012 |archive-date=8 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170208175531/http://www.nme.com/bestalbumsandtracksoftheyear/1990-2-1045379 |url-status=live}}</ref> She was praised for her voice and original songs, while being noted for her appearance: trademark shaved head, often angry expression, and sometimes shapeless or unusual clothing.<ref name=Mikal /> Her shaved head has been seen as a statement against traditional views of femininity.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Barkham |first=Patrick |date=20 February 2007 |title=The bald truth |work=[[The Guardian]] |location=London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/feb/20/gender.music |url-status=live |access-date=22 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130831023421/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/feb/20/gender.music |archive-date=31 August 2013}}</ref>

The album featured [[Marco Pirroni]] (of [[Adam and the Ants]] fame), [[Andy Rourke]] (from [[the Smiths]]) and [[John Reynolds (musician)|John Reynolds]], her first husband.<ref name="Zaleski-2023">{{Cite news |last=Zaleski |first=Annie |date=27 July 2023 |title='Nothing Compares 2 U is perfect': Sinéad O'Connor's 10 greatest songs |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jul/27/sinead-o-connor-10-best-songs-nothing-compares-2-u |access-date=27 July 2023 |issn=0261-3077 |author-link=Annie Zaleski |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230803022323/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jul/27/sinead-o-connor-10-best-songs-nothing-compares-2-u |archive-date=3 August 2023}}</ref> It contained her international breakthrough hit "[[Nothing Compares 2 U]]", a song written by [[Prince (musician)|Prince]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 July 2023 |title=È morta Sinéad O'Connor |trans-title=Sinéad O'Connor has died |url=https://www.ilpost.it/2023/07/26/morta-sinead-oconnor/ |access-date=26 July 2023 |website=[[Il Post]] |language=it-IT}}</ref><ref name="Walfisz-2023">{{Cite web |last=Walfisz |first=Johnny |date=27 July 2023 |title=Why nothing compares to 'Nothing Compares 2 U' |url=https://www.euronews.com/culture/2023/07/27/the-story-behind-sinead-oconnors-nothing-compares-2-u |access-date=27 July 2023 |website=[[euronews]]}}</ref> and originally recorded and released by a side project of his, [[The Family (band)|the Family]].<ref name="Walfisz-2023" /> [[Hank Shocklee]], producer for [[Public Enemy]], remixed the album's next single, "[[The Emperor's New Clothes (song)|The Emperor's New Clothes]]",<ref name="Zaleski-2023" /> for a 12-inch that was coupled with another song from the LP, "I Am Stretched on Your Grave". Pre-dating but included on ''I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got'', was "Jump in the River", which originally appeared on the [[Married to the Mob (soundtrack)|''Married to the Mob'' soundtrack]]; the 12-inch version of the single had included a remix featuring performance artist [[Karen Finley]].<ref>{{Citation |title=Sinéad O'Connor – Jump In The River |date=1988 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/1519401-Sinéad-OConnor-Jump-In-The-River |access-date=27 July 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Jump in the River – Sinéad O'Connor {{!}} Credits {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/jump-in-the-river-mw0001879040/credits |access-date=27 July 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

O'Connor withdrew from a scheduled appearance on the American programme ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' when she learnt that it was to be hosted by [[Andrew Dice Clay]], who she said was disrespectful to women.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hall |first=Jane |date=10 May 1990 |title=O'Connor Won't Sing on 'SNL' in Protest Over Andrew Dice Clay |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-05-10-ca-1917-story.html |access-date=14 April 2018 |work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> In July 1990, O'Connor joined other guests for the former [[Pink Floyd]] member [[Roger Waters]]' [[The Wall – Live in Berlin|performance of ''The Wall'' in Berlin]]. She contributed a cover of "[[You Do Something to Me (Cole Porter song)|You Do Something to Me]]" to the [[Cole Porter]] tribute/AIDS fundraising album ''[[Red Hot + Blue]]'' produced by the [[Red Hot Organization]].<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news |last=Farber |first=Jim |date=25 February 2020 |title=Red Hot at 30: how compilations used big music stars to combat Aids |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/sep/25/red-hot-at-30-aids-music |access-date=27 July 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604193718/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/sep/25/red-hot-at-30-aids-music |archive-date=4 June 2023}}</ref> ''Red Hot + Blue'' was followed by the release of ''[[Am I Not Your Girl?]]'', an album made of [[Cover version|covers]] of [[jazz standard]]s and [[torch song]]s she had listened to while growing up; the album received mixed-to-poor reviews, and was a commercial disappointment in light of the success of her previous work.<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 October 2022 |title=Quando Sinéad O'Connor strappò la foto del Papa in tv |trans-title=When Sinéad O'Connor tore up the photo of the Pope on TV |url=https://www.ilpost.it/2022/10/03/sinead-oconnor-strappare-foto-papa-abusi-chiesa/ |access-date=27 July 2023 |website=Il Post |language=it-IT}}</ref> Her take on [[Elton John]]'s "[[Sacrifice (Elton John song)|Sacrifice]]" was acclaimed as one of the best efforts on the tribute album ''[[Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin]]''.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Two Rooms But One Great Songbook |date=23 September 1991 |magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]]}}</ref>{{Verify source|date=August 2023|reason=needs page number, cannot verify without URL}}

{{Quote box
| width = 20em
| align = right
| salign = right
| quote = I don't do anything in order to cause trouble. It just so happens that what I do naturally causes trouble. I'm proud to be a troublemaker.
| source = —O'Connor in ''[[NME]]'', March 1991<ref name="NME Rock 'N' Roll Years">{{Cite book
| first= John
| last= Tobler
| year= 1992
| title= NME Rock 'N' Roll Years
| edition= 1st
| publisher= Reed International Books Ltd
| location= London
| page= 482
| id= CN 5585}}</ref>
}} 
Also in 1990, O'Connor said she would not perform if the [[United States national anthem]] was played before one of her concerts, saying she felt the American music industry was racist.<ref name="McCabe-2023a">{{Cite web |last=McCabe |first=Allyson |date=2023-07-26 |title=When America Met Sinéad O'Connor |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/sinead-oconnor-nothing-compares-grammys.html |access-date=2023-08-08 |website=Vulture |language=en-us}}</ref> She was attacked as ungrateful and anti-American, and drew criticism from celebrities including the singer [[Frank Sinatra]], who threatened to "kick her in the ass".<ref name="McCabe-2023a" /><ref>{{cite news|title=Legislator Urges Boycott Over Sinead's Anthem Ban|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-08-28-ca-409-story.html|date=28 August 1990|access-date=7 August 2023|work=L.A. Times Archives|agency=Times Wire Services|page=10|archive-date=26 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200126153957/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-08-28-ca-409-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> When people steamrolled her albums outside the offices of her record company in New York City, O'Connor attended in a wig and sunglasses and gave a television interview pretending to be from Saratoga.<ref name="Sturges-2021" />

O'Connor was nominated for four awards at the [[33rd Annual Grammy Awards]] and won for [[Best Alternative Music Performance]]. She refused to attend the ceremony or accept her award, and wrote an open letter to the [[Recording Academy]] criticising the industry for promoting materialistic values over artistic merit.<ref name="McCabe-2023b" /> At the [[Brit Awards 1991]], she won the [[Brit Award]] for [[Brit Award for International Female Solo Artist|International Female Solo Artist]], but did not attend the ceremony. She accepted the Irish IRMA in February 1991.<ref name="Sutcliffe-1991">{{Cite magazine|last=Sutcliffe|first=Phil|date=5 March 1991|title=Stories|magazine=Q Magazine|volume=55|pages=10}}</ref>

O'Connor spent the following months studying [[bel canto]] singing with teacher Frank Merriman at the Parnell School of Music. In an interview with ''[[The Guardian]]'', published in May 1993, she reported that the lessons were the only therapy she was receiving, describing Merriman as "the most amazing teacher in the universe".<ref>{{Cite news|title='I fit in here,' Sinéad O'Connor says of her return to Dublin|work=The Guardian|first=Maggie|last=O'Kane|date=3 May 1993}}</ref>

In 1992, O'Connor contributed vocals on the songs "Come Talk to Me" and "[[Blood of Eden]]" from the album ''[[Us (Peter Gabriel album)|Us]]'' by [[Peter Gabriel]].

====''Saturday Night Live'' protest====
{{main|Sinéad O'Connor on Saturday Night Live{{!}}Sinéad O'Connor on ''Saturday Night Live''}}
[[File:Sinead rips into the Pope.jpg|thumb|right|O'Connor tearing up a picture of [[Pope John Paul II]] on live television in 1992]]
On 3 October 1992, O'Connor appeared on the American television programme ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' (''SNL'') and staged a protest against the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. After performing an [[a cappella]] rendition of [[Bob Marley]]'s 1976 song "[[War (Bob Marley song)|War]]" with new lyrics related to child abuse,<ref>{{Cite news |title=The Night Sinead O'Connor Took on the Pope on 'S.N.L.' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/26/arts/music/sinead-oconnor-snl-pope.html |date=26 July 2023 |first=Jon |last=Caramanica |newspaper=New York Times |url-status=live |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802025127/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/26/arts/music/sinead-oconnor-snl-pope.html}}</ref> she tore up a photograph of [[Pope John Paul II]] taken from her mother's bedroom wall eight years earlier,<ref name="Hess-2021" /> said "fight the real enemy", and threw the pieces to the floor.<ref name="Kaur-2023">{{Cite news |last=Kaur |first=Anumita |date=27 July 2023 |title=Sinéad O'Connor called the pope an 'enemy' on SNL. Chaos ensued. |language=en-US |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2023/07/26/sinead-oconnor-death-pope-snl/ |access-date=28 July 2023 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> A month later, O'Connor said she felt the Catholic Church bore some responsibility for the physical, sexual and emotional abuse she had suffered as a child. In describing her actions, she said the church had destroyed "entire races of people", and that [[Catholic priests]] had been abusing children for years. Her protest took place nine years before John Paul II publicly acknowledged [[child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last1=Simpson |first1=Janice C. |last2=O'Connor |first2=Sinead |date=1992-11-09 |title=People Need a Short, Sharp Shock: SINEAD O'CONNOR |language=en-US |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,976937,00.html |access-date=2023-07-30 |issn=0040-781X}}</ref>

The protest triggered hundreds of complaints from viewers. It attracted criticism from institutions including the [[Anti-Defamation League]] and the [[National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations]], and [[celebrities]] including [[Roman Catholic]] [[Mezzogiorno]] [[Italian Americans]] [[Joe Pesci]], [[Frank Sinatra]] and [[Madonna]], who mocked the performance on ''SNL'' later that season.<ref name="Hess-2021" /><ref name="CBC.ca-20232">{{Cite web |date=26 July 2023 |title=Sinéad O'Connor, Irish singer and political activist, dead at 56 |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/sin%C3%A9ad-oconnor-obit-1.6918614 |access-date=27 July 2023 |website=[[CBC.ca]]}}</ref> Two weeks after her ''SNL'' appearance, O'Connor was booed at the 30th-anniversary tribute concert for [[Bob Dylan]] at [[Madison Square Garden]] in New York City before [[Kris Kristofferson]] came on stage, put his arm around her and offered words of encouragement.<ref name="CBC.ca-20232"/><ref>Ian Inglis. ''Performance and Popular Music: History Place and Time''. ch. 15: ''The Booing of Sinéad O'Connor: Bob Dylan 30th Anniversary Concert, Madison Square Garden, New York, 16 October 1992'' by Emma Mayhew</ref> In her 2021 memoir, ''[[Rememberings]]'', O'Connor wrote that she did not regret the protest and that it was more important for her to be a [[protest singer]] than a successful [[pop star]].<ref name="Kaur-20232">{{Cite news |last=Kaur |first=Anumita |date=27 July 2023 |title=Sinéad O'Connor called the pope an 'enemy' on SNL. Chaos ensued. |language=en-US |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2023/07/26/sinead-oconnor-death-pope-snl/ |access-date=28 July 2023 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' later named O'Connor the most [[Influencer|influential woman]] of 1992 for her protest.<ref name="Wilde-2020">{{Cite magazine |last=Wilde |first=Olivia |date=2020-03-05 |title=Sinead O'Connor: 100 Women of the Year |url=https://time.com/5793721/sinead-o-connor-100-women-of-the-year/ |access-date=2023-07-29 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |language=en}}</ref>