Sinead O’Connor has announced that she is postponing her 2021 tour in order to undergo a year of rehabilitation for addiction and trauma.
The Irish artist, who has frequently spoken about her mental health issues over the years, said that the stress of 2020, as well as the death of a loved one, led to her being “briefly addicted to a drug other than weed”.
She tweeted: “Message for folks who have tickets for next year’s shows: those shows are being postponed until 2022 so that I may go into a one year trauma and addiction treatment program because I had a very traumatic six years and this year was the end of it but now recovery starts.”
She continued: “I grew up with a lot of trauma and abuse. I then went straight into the music business. And never learned really how to make a normal life. Never took proper time to heal. Wasn’t ready to either.”
O’Connor also said she had also found the past year difficult due to one of her children being unwell. While she said they had since recovered, “the mom needs TLC”.
She said if she took the time to heal now she would be “fit for a lifetime of touring”.
“Music business is a very unforgiving place for artists who need to postpone due to emotional or mental health issues,” she added.
“I would ask my agents and promoters to look into their souls regarding that and to support me in taking this step toward making a life I am happy in. So that we can all make some money!”
The tour would have marked O’Connor’s first of the US in six years, and had already been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The singer apologised to fans over the delayed tour but promised her memoir, scheduled for release in June 2021, would be released on time.
