Bob Geldof says Sinéad O’Connor’s last text messages to him were a mix between happy and sad.
The singer-songwriter and political activist, 71 — who knew O’Connor for more than three decades — paid tribute to the late singer at the Cavan Calling Festival in Cavan, Ireland, on Saturday night, telling the audience they had been texting about two weeks before her death, according to Independent.
“She was a very good friend of mine,” Geldof said, per the outlet, of O’Connor, who died last week at age 56. “We were talking right up to a couple of weeks ago.”
“Some of the texts were laden with desperation and despair and sorrow and some were ecstatically happy,” he continued. “She was like that.”
Irish singer and song-writer Sinead O’Connor posed with a pet dog at her home in County Wicklow.
Getty
Geldof and O’Connor had a close bond since they were kids, as they lived in the same neighborhood and took the same bus to school, Irish Examiner reported.
He also told the crowd over the weekend that “some of us watched her this afternoon on the web, and we were just speechless on how beautiful, how brilliant she was,” per the outlet.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The death of the Irish singer, whose legacy with hits like “Nothing Compares 2 U” was complicated by her outspoken dedication to various social issues and a series of mental health struggles, was confirmed by her family on Wednesday.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad,” her family said in a statement to RTE and the BBC. “Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.”
After no medical cause was given in O’Connor’s death, an autopsy is now set to be carried out, according to London Inner South Coroner’s Court.
Rob Ball/Redferns via Getty Images
O’Connor’s managers recently revealed that the late Grammy-winning musician was planning her first new album in nearly a decade before her sudden death.
In a message shared on 67 Management’s website, O’Connor’s team sent condolences to her family, praised fans for their support and revealed the star’s plans for various professional projects that were set to take place in the near future.
“We would like to take this opportunity to send our love, our thoughts, our prayers to Sinéad O’Connor’s Family at this time,” wrote managers and brothers Kenneth Papenfus and Carl Papenfus on behalf of the company. “We would like to thank the incredible love and support for Sinéad from her fans first and foremost who have prevailed in their support and kindness throughout.”
Sinéad O’Connor Revealed What She ‘Instructed’ Her Kids to Do in the Event of Her Death (Exclusive)
67 Management also thanked various “business partners in our industry” and “the wonderful musicians, artists and supporting teams” who were loyal to O’Connor as collaborators and friends throughout her career.
“As tribute to those who were part of Sinead’s team over our tenure it has to be mentioned that Sinéad was completing her new album, reviewing new tour dates for 2024 and considering opportunities in relation to a movie of her book,” continued the company, referencing her 2021 memoir Rememberings. “Wonderful plans were afoot at this time. Testament and tribute to those who have put their hearts first for Sinéad, to whom we are forever grateful.”
Sinéad O’Connor’s Mental Health Struggles: Inside the Irish Singer’s Tumultuous Ups and Downs
While the management group did not share any plans for posthumous releases, the Papenfus brothers concluded the statement with gratitude for their time working with O’Connor.
“It has been an honour to have worked with Sinéad professionally, as musicians, producers and her artist managers over the last nine years, but much, much more than that Sinéad was family,” they wrote. “May she rest in peace.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education