Eighteen months have elapsed since the tragic passing of Sineád O'Connor on July 26, 2023, at the age of 56. Yet, during the "SNL 50: The Anniversary Special" on Sunday night, the Irish legend who stole the spotlight in one of the most controversial moments in "Saturday Night Live" history—when she defiantly tore up a photograph of Pope John Paul II in 1992—was immortalized through a heartfelt performance by Miley Cyrus. Cyrus, 32, rendered a powerful version of O'Connor's signature Prince cover, "Nothing Compares 2 U," accompanied by singer-guitarist Brittany Howard, mere days after their collaborative appearance at "SNL: The Homecoming Concert."
This unexpected yet poignant tribute to O'Connor resonated deeply, not merely due to her audacious protest against child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church during her "SNL" rendition of Bob Marley's "War," but also because of the contentious relationship she shared with Cyrus prior to her demise.
Their cross-generational spat unfolded when Cyrus revealed to Rolling Stone in 2013 that her "Wrecking Ball" music video was inspired by O'Connor's "Nothing Compares 2 U" clip. While Cyrus swung nude on a wrecking ball and licked a sledgehammer, she also模仿了O'Connor的泪洒荧幕。 Both videos garnered the prestigious Video of the Year award at the VMAs.
In response, O'Connor penned an open letter, imbued with a sense of maternal concern and affection, addressing Cyrus. "I am deeply troubled that those close to you have led you to embrace, or encouraged you to believe, that it is in any way fashionable to be nude and licking sledgehammers in your videos," she wrote. "The truth is, by allowing yourself to be exploited, you will overshadow your immense talent, whether it's the music industry or yourself doing the exploiting.
"In the long run, this will only bring harm, and it is in no way empowering for you or any other young women to send the message that you, or anyone else, values you more for your sexual allure than for your evident talent," O'Connor warned. "The music industry cares not a whit about you or any of us. They will exploit you for all you're worth, cleverly convincing you it's what you wanted."
Cyrus retaliated by sharing screenshots of O'Connor's tweets, which exposed the singer's public struggle with mental health. One tweet read, "I desperately need to resume my medication today. I'm in grave danger." Cyrus captioned the post, "Before Amanda Bynes... There was...," referencing another former child star battling mental health issues.
Following O'Connor's death, Cyrus reconciled with their past之争, expressing her peace. "I anticipated controversy and backlash [over the 'Wrecking Ball' video], but I didn't foresee other women tearing me down or turning against me, particularly women who had been in my shoes before," Cyrus shared in her ABC concert special, "Endless Summer Vacation: Continued (Backyard Sessions)." "That's when I received an open letter from Sineád O'Connor, unaware of her fragile mental state, and being only 20, I couldn't fully comprehend mental illness," she continued. "All I saw was another woman telling me that this idea wasn't mine."
