It’s been a whirlwind week-plus in the world of Sinéad O’Connor. Last Monday (June 7), the musician said she was retiring from the music industry. Shortly after that, she changed her mind. Now, O’Connor has again flip-flopped, as today, she has once more announced her retirement from music.
In a tweet from her personal account, she noted that she will transition to writing, but will release one more album next year, which she does not plan to promote: “On Sunday I begin my new life as a writer, having been in two minds about retiring from the music business. Below is my retirement announcement. My last album, No Veteran Dies Alone will be released in April 2022. There will be no promo. Thanks for all the fun and love.”
On Sunday I begin my new life as a writer, having been in two minds about retiring from the music business. Below is my retirement announcement. My last album, No Veteran Dies Alone will be released in April 2022. There will be no promo.
Thanks for all the fun and lovepic.twitter.com/PKrOR3xs3B
— Sinead O’Connor (Shuhada Sadaqat) (@MagdaDavitt77) June 17, 2021
That tweet also featured screenshots of an more extensive message from O’Connor, in which she notes that her decision to leave music came after “consultation with [her] medical team.” Her letter concludes, “I sincerely thank my fans and supporters for the love they’ve shown me all down the years, as well as my co-workers. We’ve all had a great adventure: now it’s time for the next one : ).”
Read O’Connor’s full note below.
“This to announce that having been in two minds about retiring I have now, in consultation with my medical team, and on their advice, decided to go ahead and retire so that I may now focus on my new career as a writer. I am happy to have left on a good note, that is, standing up against the intellectually Lilliputian far right, white power movement in this country, without consideration for how absolutely any white people at all, might be upset by my doing so.
It would have been morally and spiritually criminal of me to stay silent. No matter how anyone might wish I had. I literally owe my life to foreign residents in this country. And to black and brown people in Ireland and all over the world: historically and in the present: sitting down and staying silent would have made me complicit: just as it makes anyone else who stays silent, complicit. All it takes for evil to triumph is that good people do nothing: it’s not in my nature to do nothing. If the likes of [Irish activist Gemma O’Doherty] and Waters and Rye consider it their right to spew online, defamation, racism and dishonest, uneducated, perverse, right wing propaganda, they have to be able to cope with strong responses. Whether from their exes or anyone else who knows them or doesn’t know them. Their online activities are hurtful and demeaning and damaging to the people of Ireland. And to all foreign residents and visitors. And what is good for the goose is certainly good for the gander. Racism triggers and deserves angry responses And I am fiercely unapologetic. No matter who is hurt: these online racists don’t care whom they hurt. So why should I?
As I said, I owe my life and soul to black and brown and Muslim immigrants to this country: and to black musicians and activists all over the world, throughout history and in the present: I will be closing my Twitter page in the next few days so that I can begin to enjoy being a private citizen. And enjoy my new life as a writer: I sincerely thank my fans and supporters for the love they’ve shown me all down the years, as well as my co-workers. We’ve all had a great adventure: now it’s time for the next one : ).”