Watch Sinéad O’Connor perform Nothing Compares 2 U in final show

27 July 2023, 18:39 | Updated: 27 July 2023, 19:21

The Irish singer-songwriter played what ended up being her swan song performance in Santa Cruz in February 2020.

Tributes have continued to pour in for Sinéad O’Connor, who tragically died on Wednesday (26th July), aged 56.

The Irish singer-songwriter was best known for her iconic cover of Prince's Nothing Compares 2 U and footage of her singing the heartbreaking track has circulated from her last ever performance at Rio Theatre in Santa Cruz, California on 12th February 2020.

O'Connor, who also went by Shuhada' Sadaqat, played the song towards the end of 16-track setlist for the crowds.

Watch footage of the moment, which was captured by a fan and shared on YouTube, below:

Sinead O’Connor - Nothing Compares to You - February 12, 2020 - Santa Cruz, CA

The icon's set also included her own tracks, Last Day of Our Acquaintance, The Emperor's New Clothes, Black Boys on Mopeds, Milestones and a her cover of Scullion's I Am Stretched on Your Grave.

See her full setlist below:

Sinéad O’Connor's final setlist on 12th February 202 at Rio Theatre, Santa Cruz:

1. Queen of Denmark (John Grant cover)

2. Take Me to Church

3. 4th and Vine

4. Reason With Me

5. The Wolf Is Getting Married

6. Jealous

7. I Am Stretched on Your Grave (Scullion cover) (a cappella)

8. In This Heart (a cappella - with 2 band members(guitarists) on vocals)

9. Black Boys on Mopeds (a cappella)

10. Back Where You Belong

11. Thank You for Hearing Me

12. The Last Day of Our Acquaintance

13. The Emperor's New Clothes

14. Nothing Compares 2 U (Prince cover)

15. Hold Back the Night

Encore:

16. Milestones

The singer’s family confirmed the sad news of O'Connor's passing in a statement, which read: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad. Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.”

Tributes have poured in for the singer ever since the news, with everyone from the likes of Garbage to Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan paying tribute.

Garbage's Shirley Manson wrote: "I’m heartbroken . This disgusting world broke her and kept on breaking her. Godspeed dear fragile dove. Thank you for all the beauty and all the wise teachings you offered up to us. I wish you nothing but peace and I will love you for all of time."

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Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist Flea wrote: "Sinead. Man, it's a sad and beautiful world. She was the best. For us all us street kids, all us wildlings, when she became huge, it felt like one of us had made it. I am not trying to compare myself or anyone else to her, she was one of a kind. But thats what it felt like to me. Like she was one of us. She was like Billie Holiday to me. All her pain, all her beauty, those incredible songs. bless her heart".

Anthony Kiedis claims he penned I Could Have Lied about the singer after she left him in 1991, but she denied they had a relationship together.

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Eurythmics legend Annie Lennox shared a photo of O'Connor, with the poem-like caption: "Sinead...

You bared your soul...

Shared your brilliance

Through your exquisite artistry

Your incredible voice..

Fierce and fragile

Lioness and lamb,

Sweet singing bird

Keenly tuned, trembling

Tio-toeing along the high wire

Or stamping the ground.

Raw

Wounded

Fearless

... Impulsive

Bold and beautiful

Truth teller

Singer of songs

Crazy wisdom

Power house

Shaman

Priest and Priestess

Unafraid..

May the angels hold you

In their tender arms

And give you rest,

In peace…"

Today (27th July) it was confirmed that Sinead O'Connor was found "unresponsive" at a "residential address" in Lambeth.

According to The Irish Sun, her death is not being treated as suspicious.