SINEAD O'Connor has issued an apology for saying she “doesn't want to spend any more time with white people” following her conversion to Islam last year.
In a tweet posted to her account on Sunday, the Irish singer, 52, claimed she was “angry and unwell” when she made the “racist comment”, and insisted her remarks were “not true at the time and are not true now”.
The musician – who is also known as Shuhada' Davitt – also appeared on RTE's The Late Late Show to discuss her new faith as she revealed she's “found home” in Islam and has realised she's been a Muslim “all my life”.
In October last year, the “Nothing Compares 2 U” hitmaker sparked outrage from both Muslims and non-Muslims on Twitter when she claimed she no longer wants to spend time with “disgusting white people”.
The tweets posted by the former rock star included the hashtags: #TrustMeIAmaSoldier, #NotAsF*****CrazyAsSheLooks' and #ReignOfWhiteMANover.'
Sinead reiterated her comments the following month as she added: “I'm terribly sorry. What I'm about to say is something so racist I never thought my soul could ever feel it.
“But truly I never wanna spend time with white people again (if that's what non-Muslims are called). Not for one moment, for any reason. They are disgusting.”
Referring to the backlash received from social media users, the “Thank You for Hearing Me” hitmaker posted: “Forgive me. Sometimes the Lord needs dirty workers ; )”. [sic]
Nearly a year on from her bizarre social media activity, the “Fire on Babylon” singer explained: “As regards to remarks I made while angry and unwell, about white people...
“They were not true at the time and they are not true now. I was triggered as a result of Islamophobia dumped on me. I apologise for hurt caused. That was one of many crazy tweets lord knows.”
Road to conversion
During a recent appearance on The Late Late Show, Sinead detailed her conversion to Islam: “I never thought I'd join another religion. I left Islam till last as I had so much prejudice about Islam, you know.
“I read chapter two of the Qu’ran and I realised I'm home, and that I've been a Muslim all my life. There's a way of thinking.
“You can be a Muslim without actually being a Muslim as it's a headset. A Muslim is someone who believes nothing should be worshiped except God.
“In the same way I would have embraced Christianity, there's things I like and things I don't like; things I identify with and things I don't.”
In late October, the mother-of-four – who was ordained as a priest by the traditionalist Catholic Tridentine movement in the 1990s – announced: “This is to announce that I am proud to have become a Muslim.”
She added: “This is the natural conclusion of any intelligent theologian's journey. All scripture study leads to Islam. Which makes all other scriptures redundant. I will be given (another) new name. It will be Shuhada.”
The singer said she was given her first hijab by her friend Elaine and “got chills all over” her body when she put it on.
She has had a well-documented battle with mental health problems, which have been fuelled by a number of marriage break-ups and legal issues. Sinead revealed she attempted suicide in Dec 1999 on her 33rd birthday.
In Oct 2007 she said she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder four years earlier and has had a number of stints in rehab facilities across the USA.
The former rock star last year claimed her late mother was “possessed” and repeatedly sexually abused her as a child.
A member of her family also reported her missing in 2016 over fears she was suicidal. She was found in a Chicago hotel room.
In recent years, she has largely stayed away from her native Ireland where her four children Roison, Sahne and Yeshua live, in favour of the US. – Daily Mail