Why Sinead O'Connor Ignited A Feud With Miley Cyrus
Here's why Sinead O'Connor and Miley Cyrus had a brief and shocking feud. In 2013, an array of unforgettable pop culture moments took place. From the conclusions of hit shows –– like "Breaking Bad" and "30 Rock" –– to royal births and the release of Beyoncé's surprise visual album, entertainment enthusiasts were inundated with jaw-dropping happenings. However, one of the biggest pop culture moments in 2013 was the release of Cyrus' hit single "Wrecking Ball," specifically its controversial music video. Throughout the visual, which broke the record as the most viewed video on Vevo, the beloved talent shed her Disney image by featuring various mature elements — including nudity.
Shortly after it was released, Cyrus told Rolling Stone that O'Connor and her global hit "Nothing Compares 2 U," inspired the video. She said, "[The 'Wrecking Ball' video] is like Sinead O'Connor's video but, like, the most modern version," she explained told them. "I wanted it to be tough but really pretty. That's what Sinead did with her hair and everything." While Cryus had nothing but good things to say about the impact of "Nothing Compares 2 U" on "Wrecking Ball," O'Connor didn't take too kindly to the comparisons, which she expressed in a series of public statements.
Sinead O'Connor wrote multiple open letters to Miley Cyrus
After Miley Cyrus' comments, Irish songstress Sinead O'Connor sent an open letter to the former Disney star, via The Guardian. "Dear Miley, I wasn't going to write this letter, but today I've been dodging phone calls from various newspapers who wished me to remark upon your having said in Rolling Stone your Wrecking Ball video was designed to be similar to the one for Nothing Compares," she wrote. "So this is what I need to say ... And it is said in the spirit of motherliness and with love." O'Connor then went on to express her concern for the "River" singer before expressing her disappointment over her team thinking that the video's nudity and mature elements were "in any way 'cool.'"
"It is in fact the case that you will obscure your talent by allowing yourself to be pimped, whether it's the music business or yourself doing the pimping," she added. After O'Connor's comments made headlines, Cyrus brushed off her open letter on Twitter. "I don't have time to write you an open letter cause I'm hosting & performing on SNL this week," she wrote per BBC. The "We Can't Stop" singer also tweeted about O'Connor's bipolar disorder and compared her to Amanda Bynes –– who was going through a mental health crisis at the time. Cyrus' response resulted in O'Connor sending her three additional open letters, with the last one asking her to apologize for her statements, per E! News.
Here's how Miley Cyrus and Sinead O'Connor moved on after their feud
Despite her very public feud with Sinead O'Connor, Miley Cyrus revealed on "The Today Show" that she held no hard feelings for the legendary talent. "I think she's an incredible artist, I think she's an awesome songwriter, and I was really inspired by her for my 'Wrecking Ball' video, which was what started the whole thing," she explained, via Her. "I don't know how someone can start a fight with somebody who said, 'Hey, I really respect you. And I really love what you did'... but as I said, I'm a big fan of hers, so it doesn't really matter. It's all good."
As for O'Connor, the Grammy-winning talent had a somewhat different sentiment for Cyrus a year after their high-profile clash. In October 2014, the "One More Day" singer shared a photo of Cyrus with dollar bills in her mouth on her website. "Urgent! Does anyone know the whereabouts of this girl's parents? Because they appear to be missing in action," her caption read, per The Independent UK. "In short, no human being on earth would be photographing, filming, or watching my childlike-looking daughter dressed as a stripper with a load of cash stuck in her mouth." Seems things are a little left unfinished.