The world of music had much to celebrate at the 2024 Grammy Awards over the weekend, but there was also mourning, as many stars could not be there on that celebratory night. This year’s In Memoriam saw legendary Annie Lennox perform, and she paid particular tribute to Sinéad O’Connor as she set time aside to call for an end to violence overseas.
Lennox was joined by Stevie Wonder and Jon Batiste to honor the musical artists who most recently passed. Wonder started the dedication segment by honoring Tony Bennett, recalling the formative first time he heard Bennett sing “For Once in My Life.” Lennox’s song of choice to honor O’Connor was the Prince song “Nothing Compares 2 U,” but she also paid tribute to O’Connor’s history of advocating for peace.
Annie Lennox paid tribute to Sinéad O’Connor as a musician and an activist at the Grammys
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After a string of images appeared on-screen for the Grammys In Memoriam segment, Lennox took the stage to celebrate the career and philanthropy of O’Connor. She was accompanied by artists Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman, members of Prince’s band. Together, they performed “Nothing Compares 2 U,” which was originally written by Prince but has become synonymous with O’Connor after her 1990 recording earned her a Grammy and newfound recognition.
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69-year-old Lennox was dressed in a dark outfit with a few bright-colored embellishments. She kept her signature light hair cut short and wore a shimmering silver tear on her cheek, which might have been joined by real tears as she grew emotional through the tributes.
Finally, she raised a fist into the air and declared, “Artists for ceasefire. Peace in the world.”
Lennox drew attention to the way O’Connor used her platform to address important issues
O’Connor became a household name thanks to her music, with the Billboard Music Awards honoring “Nothing Compares 2 U” as the top world single of the year, and 2021’s Rememberings hitting bestseller status, just two years before O’Connor’s death in July 2023.
With that international platform secured, O’Connor also made sure she became synonymous with tackling serious issues such as women’s rights, child abuse, racism, and human rights. O’Connor felt sympathy for Palestinian civilians she felt were treated inhumanely by the Israeli government and refused to perform in the country, saying, “Let’s just say that, on a human level, nobody with any sanity, including myself, would have anything but sympathy for the Palestinian plight.”
O’Connor drew attention to women’s issues, and even wrote to Miley Cyrus after the release of the latter’s music video for “Wrecking Ball.” In an open letter to Cyrus, O’Connor warned Cyrus of the treatment of women in the music industry over sexuality. Initially, Cyrus dismissed the letter and referenced O’Connor’s mental health history. After O’Connor’s death, Cyrus publically apologized for her response years ago.
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