Sinéad O’Connor reflected on her career highs and lows in an unearthed TV interview that appeared to be her last – as news of her tragic death was announced on Wednesday.

The 56-year-old singer was confirmed dead by her family after they released a statement to Irish media that read: ‘It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinead.

‘Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.’

Before her death, she appeared on U.S. chat show, Today, in 2021 and addressed controversies surrounding her career and her private life. 

At the time, she was asked questions that delved into her persona in the public eye by the show’s host Carson Daly and revealed she had ‘never thought’ about being cancelled.

It was suggested by the host that she could be the ‘first cancelled’ person to which she replied: ‘That’s a good question, I never thought of that’. 

The singer died aged 56 (Picture: Getty Images)

She shared why she ripped up a picture of the Pope (Picture: Getty Images)

Throughout the interview, the singer was probed about her outspokenness and she counteracted the ideas by claiming she was a ‘protest singer’. 

She explained that: ‘”Sinead O’Connor” was never meant to be a pop star’ and went on to detail her experiences with ‘abuse’ by the hands of her mother. 

The late star remembered that she ripped up a photo of the Pope in order to rip up a memory of her parent and said: ‘That picture I took off my mother’s bedroom wall, it was a way of ripping her up, as well.’

O’Connor also shared news of how she was doing mentally at the time of the interview, two years ago having moved just outside of Dublin, Ireland. 

She addressed the headlines that hit her career (Picture: Redferns)

The star explained how she was doing at the time of her interview (Picture: GC Images)

‘I’m good, yeah, I’m really good. I moved into his place about a year ago. It’s really peaceful, somebody told me that you have anxiety.’

The Dublin-born singer was propelled to international stardom in 1990 with her version of the hit ballad Nothing Compares 2 U.

She released her first critically acclaimed album The Lion And The Cobra in 1987.

Her second studio album, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, followed in 1990 and continued the singer’s success as it received glowing reviews.

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It contained the hit single Nothing Compares 2 U, originally written by Prince, but O’Connor made it her own and it topped the charts in countries around the world.

She is survived by three children.

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The singer’s death was confirmed by her family.