Sinead O’Connor was planning comeback before being found dead in London, friends say

Close friends of the singer have spoken about the Irish star’s final days and upcoming projects before her tragic death.

Close friends of Sinead O’Connor have revealed the “happy and smiling” star was looking forward to writing new music and touring to Australia and New Zealand before her tragic death.

Police were called to the Irish music legend’s new $5,700-a-month penthouse in Herne Hill, South London, where she was pronounced dead at the scene on Wednesday.

No medical cause has been given for the death and an autopsy will be conducted with results taking “several weeks,” London Inner South Coroner’s Court said on Thursday.

Fans come together to mourn Sinead O’Connor’s death in London. Picture: Getty Images

O’Connor had recently posted on social media that she had found a glimmer of happiness and had moved back to London and felt “very happy to be home” in a video shot in her new apartment on July 9.

“Everything on the outside appeared to be going well for Sinead,” a source told The Sun.

“Before she moved to London she was excited about the future and had been starting to work on new music.

“The news of her death came as a massive shock.”

The Irish community come together to mourn singer Sinead O'Connor in London, England. Picture: Getty Images

Sinead O'Connor never recovered from the loss of her son. Picture: David Corio

O’Connor wrote on her Facebook page earlier this month that she had moved back to London after 23 years and was finishing an album to be released next year.

She also spoke about her plans to tour in Australia and New Zealand in 2024, and in Europe, the US and other territories in 2025.

It was a new start for the singer after the death of her son Shane, 17, in January 2022, who took his own life after escaping hospital while on suicide watch.

A year on, in January, the mother of four was admitted to hospital after posting on social media that she had “decided to follow” his path.

Neighbours living close to her London pad said how they saw her in good spirits just weeks ago.

“I last saw her about two weeks ago. She seemed happy and was smiling and waved,” neighbour Farath Moragammanage told The Sun.

“She was with a friend and she said she was going to Brixton with a friend from Ireland.

“She told me she was a famous singer and she must have moved in about weeks six weeks or so ago. She was living there on her own.”

Clyre Day, 71, who has lived on the road for 41 years, told The Sun: “She used to stand on the balcony and look out into the street. The lights were always on all through the night.

“I wondered why she had the windows open all the time, that was crazy. It’s sad, I was a fan of that one song.”

Sinead O’Connor has been planning new music and a comeback tour. Picture: Getty Images

O’Connor had been vocal about her battles with mental health in the past.

She mourned her son in a tweet recently writing: “Been living as an undead night creature since. He was the love of my life, the lamp of my soul.”

“We were one soul in two halves. He was the only person who ever loved me unconditionally. I am lost in the bardo [limbo] without him.”

Heartbroken fans have also flocked to O’Connor’s former Bray home to lay flowers and photographs in her memory.

“We saw Sinead sitting out the front here during Covid a lot. Speaking to people and seeming very relaxed,” a neighbour told Newstalk.

“It is a sad day, a sad day. Everyone keeps saying the same thing. It‘s just poor Sinead and hopefully she is at peace now.”

Originally published as Sinead O’Connor was planning comeback before being found dead in London, friends say