Despite famously never wanting to become a pop singer, Sinéad O’Connor did just that upon the release of her 1987 debut album, The Lion and the Cobra. Three years later, more success followed with her sophomore record, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got—featuring the chart-topping Prince cover “Nothing Compares 2 U.”
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And with that, the reluctant Irish pop star found herself up for four awards during music’s biggest night—the Grammys. On this day (Feb. 20) in 1991, Sinéad O’Connor made history at the 33rd annual Grammy Awards—but it wasn’t for her victory in the Best Alternative Music Performance category.
Sinéad O’Connor Blasted the Recording Academy in Open Letter
Just weeks before she was set to take the stage in New York, Sinéad O’Connor stunned the music industry by pulling out of her planned Grammy Awards performance of “Nothing Compares 2 U.”
In a letter explaining her reasoning, the “Mandinka” singer slammed the music industry for what she deemed its “false and destructive materialistic values.”
“They acknowledge mostly the commercial side of art. They respect mostly material gain, since that is the main reason for their existence,” she wrote, according to the Los Angeles Times. “And they have created a great respect among artists for material gain–by honoring us and exalting us when we achieve it, ignoring for the most part those of us who have not.”
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Also taking aim at her industry peers, O’Connor continued, “We are allowing ourselves to be portrayed as being in some way more important, more special than the very people we are supposed to be helping–by the way we dress, by the cars we travel in, by the ‘otherworldiness’ of our shows and by a lot of what we say in our music. How can we sit there hoping to win a Grammy when we have failed in our duty as artists to speak the truth. How can we sit there hoping to win a Grammy when we have failed in our duty as artists to speak the truth.”
Others Supported Her
True to her word, Sinéad O’Connor did not attend the Feb. 20, 1991 ceremony at Radio City Music Hall. The “Drink Before the War” singer’s rebuff marked the first time in Grammys history that an artist had refused their award.
In a show of solidarity, Living Color lead guitarist Vernon Reid accepted the Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance sporting a shirt that bore O’Connor’s likeness.
“[The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences] doesn’t dictate my dress code,” Reid later said.
Featured image by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc
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