O'Connor, Sinead Then: Sinead O'Connor was born December 12, 1966 in Glenageary, Ireland. Grew up in Dublin, eventually moving to London in 1985, signed to Ensign Records, and both wrote and produced her first album, The Lion and the Cobra, released to rave reviews in 1987. The single "Mandinka" from the same album scores a #17 UK chart position and helps earn her a Grammy award nomination for Best Female Vocalist. Now: It was her second album, I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got, (also self produced) released in March 1990 that brought her world-class status. The first single from the album, "Nothing Compares 2 U", a cover of the Prince classic, was number one in seventeen countries including the USA. That year Sinead, a fervent human rights campaigner, won three MTV Music Awards in the US (including Best Video of the Year which featured the star singing the song in a unique, one shot, full face take, tears and all.) She released two albums which received little notice (1992's Am I Not Your Girl? and 1994's Universal Mother.) So Far...The Best Of collection followed in '97. O'Connor released Faith And Courage in 2000.