The estate of the late singer-songwriter Sinéad O’Connor, who died last year, has partnered with her longtime label to issue a joint statement denouncing the use of O’Connor’s hit “Nothing Compares 2 U” without permission at his recent political rallies.
In the joint statement, the two ‘guardians of her legacy’ say that the Trump Team must “desist from using her music immediately” and highlight the late singer’s “fierce moral code” which runs in stark contrast to the former president’s long history of ethical failings.
As in past situations where artists object to the use of their music by political campaigns, it is unclear how effective such demands will be in light of the reality of compulsory blanket licensing.
The full statement reads:
A Joint Statement from The Estate of Sinéad O’Connor and Chrysalis Records:
Throughout her life, it is well known that Sinéad O’Connor lived by a fierce moral code defined by honesty, kindness, fairness, and decency towards her fellow human beings. It was with outrage therefore that we learned that Donald Trump has been using her iconic performance of “Nothing Compares 2 U” at his political rallies. It is no exaggeration to say that Sinéad would have been disgusted, hurt, and insulted to have her work misrepresented in this way by someone who she herself referred to as a “biblical devil.” As the guardians of her legacy, we demand that Donald Trump, and his associates desist from using her music immediately.
