After announcing her retirement at the age of 54 last week, Sinéad O'Connor has retracted her announcement, explaining that recent interviews with "female misogynists" initially led her to take a step back from the spotlight.
"Good news. Fuck retiring," the singer wrote on Twitter. "I retract. Am not retiring. I was temporarily allowing pigs in lipstick to fuck my head up..."
In a lengthy accompanying statement, the artist shared that she had felt "badly triggered" in recent interviews about her memoir, Rememberings, in which she details being a survivor of abuse. Specifically, she recounted "unnecessary and hurtful" comments about being "the crazy woman in pop's attic" during an interview with a BBC Radio 4's "Woman's Hour" presenter.
O'Connor explained that after the interview she felt as though she would be "better off (safer) if I ran away and gave up being in music at all. Because I keep getting used as a coat hanger for people to clothe with whatever they like."
She explained further:
When I embarked upon promo for my book, I ought have had a counsellor on board. Because I hadn't realised how much talking about the past, particularly my experience of abuse not only as a child, but as a legally vulnerable adult. Abuse which takes the form of in particular some UK media either using their knowledge that I am legally vulnerable to invalidate, disrespect, hurt, deride and or generally treat like a Russian dancing bear, would trigger so much emotional catharsis.
See, at the time UK media began abusing me, and while it continued, I was too busy surviving it to notice how I felt about it. Same with regards to being a survivor of violence in childhood:
I don't want to be angry here because it isn't helpful. And because most people are doing their best at all times. So possibly no harm is meant. But if my three medical conditions were physical rather than emotional/psychological, they would not be used to define me, invalidate me, insult me, laugh at me, or as boots with which to trod on me.
O'Connor added that she loves her job, and that "the consequences of being a talented (and outspoken woman) [is] that I have to wade through walls of prejudice every day to make a living."
The artist also extended an apology to "all fans, buyers, promoters, venues, and hot dog sellers for the fright I've given you."
Since posting her retraction, O'Connor has deleted her previous tweets about hanging up her "nipple tassels" and "no more touring or promo."
O'Connor had announced the postponement of her upcoming tour in relation to the pandemic, and then once more in relation to her addiction recovery program. Those dates were rescheduled to take place in 2022, though it continues to be unclear if the tour will still happen.
See her full statement below.
"Good news. Fuck retiring," the singer wrote on Twitter. "I retract. Am not retiring. I was temporarily allowing pigs in lipstick to fuck my head up..."
In a lengthy accompanying statement, the artist shared that she had felt "badly triggered" in recent interviews about her memoir, Rememberings, in which she details being a survivor of abuse. Specifically, she recounted "unnecessary and hurtful" comments about being "the crazy woman in pop's attic" during an interview with a BBC Radio 4's "Woman's Hour" presenter.
O'Connor explained that after the interview she felt as though she would be "better off (safer) if I ran away and gave up being in music at all. Because I keep getting used as a coat hanger for people to clothe with whatever they like."
She explained further:
When I embarked upon promo for my book, I ought have had a counsellor on board. Because I hadn't realised how much talking about the past, particularly my experience of abuse not only as a child, but as a legally vulnerable adult. Abuse which takes the form of in particular some UK media either using their knowledge that I am legally vulnerable to invalidate, disrespect, hurt, deride and or generally treat like a Russian dancing bear, would trigger so much emotional catharsis.
See, at the time UK media began abusing me, and while it continued, I was too busy surviving it to notice how I felt about it. Same with regards to being a survivor of violence in childhood:
I don't want to be angry here because it isn't helpful. And because most people are doing their best at all times. So possibly no harm is meant. But if my three medical conditions were physical rather than emotional/psychological, they would not be used to define me, invalidate me, insult me, laugh at me, or as boots with which to trod on me.
O'Connor added that she loves her job, and that "the consequences of being a talented (and outspoken woman) [is] that I have to wade through walls of prejudice every day to make a living."
The artist also extended an apology to "all fans, buyers, promoters, venues, and hot dog sellers for the fright I've given you."
Since posting her retraction, O'Connor has deleted her previous tweets about hanging up her "nipple tassels" and "no more touring or promo."
O'Connor had announced the postponement of her upcoming tour in relation to the pandemic, and then once more in relation to her addiction recovery program. Those dates were rescheduled to take place in 2022, though it continues to be unclear if the tour will still happen.
See her full statement below.
To put "lipstick on a pig" means making superficial or cosmetic changes to a product in a futile effort to disguise its fundamental failings.
— Sinead O'Connor (Shuhada Sadaqat) (@MagdaDavitt77) June 8, 2021