P!nk and Brandi Carlile honoured the late Sinéad O’Connor with a live performance of her classic Nothing Compares 2 U on Wednesday night.
The So What singer was performing in Cincinnati as part of her ‘Summer Carnival Tour’ on the evening that news of the Irish star’s passing was confirmed.
During the concert, the US superstar switched up her setlist and invited country star Brandi – who topped the support line-up – to join her on a rendition of the 1990 hit, originally written and recorded by Prince.
“When I was a little girl, my mom grew up in Atlantic City and I used to go down to the Ocean City Boardwalk with my ten dollars and I would make a demo tape… I would make a little cassette tape and imagine it was my demo for the record company,” P!nk told the crowd.
“And it would always be either Greatest Love Of All by Whitney Houston or Nothing Compares 2 U by Sinéad O’Connor. So in honour of Sinead, and in honour of my very, very talented friend Brandi Carlile, I asked her if she would come out here and sing this song with me.”
Check out fan-shot footage from the performance below.
News of O’Connor’s passing was confirmed on Wednesday, July 26, with her family sharing in a statement: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad. Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.”
Throughout her career, the singer-songwriter released 10 studio albums including the global No. 1, ‘I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got’ (1990), and also scored hits like The Emperor’s New Clothes, Success Has Made a Failure of Our Home and Mandinka.
In 1991, she won the BRIT Award for International Female Solo Artist and was nominated for four Grammys, of which she won Best Alternative Music Performance for her seminal second album.
The previous year, Billboard named the Prince-penned Nothing Compares 2 U the No.1 World Single.
At the time of her death, the musician was believed to be spending her time between Co Roscommon, Ireland, and London. She is survived by her three children. Her son, Shane, died last year aged 17.
