Sinéad O’Connor‘s death at her London home “is not being treated as suspicious,” the Metropolitan Police said in a statement Thursday. The statement did not name O’Connor — a legendary Irish singer-songwriter known best for her hit “Nothing Compares 2 U” — in line with U.K. police protocols.
The London police’s statement said “a 56-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene” at a south London residence Wednesday by officers responding to reports of “an unresponsive woman.”
“A file will be prepared for the Coroner,” the statement added.
O’Connor’s family announced her death Wednesday “with great sadness.”
Independent Newspapers Ireland/NLI Collection
“Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time,” they said in a statement.
Many around the world took to social media following news of her death to share tributes to the artist. Actress Jamie Lee Curtis dedicated a post on Instagram to O’Connor, recognizing the artist’s “beautiful” voice and “brilliant” personality. Singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge called O’Connor’s death “a tragedy,” and rapper Ice T offered his “respect to Sinead.”
O’Connor overcame a difficult childhood to achieve her first major musical success in the late 1980s with her debut album “The Lion and the Cobra.” But it was her second album, “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got,” that made her a household name.
She won one Grammy, was nominated for the prestigious music award eight times and was named Rolling Stone’s artist of the year in 1991.
Along with her music, O’Connor was known for her outspoken stance on political and social issues, and was open about her struggles with mental health.
Her cause of death has not been revealed.
Simrin Singh contributed to this article.
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