Did anyone else spend their evening listening to Sinead O’Connor, or was it just me?
I don’t often react to celebrity news, but her music featured strongly in my yoof. From the classic ‘Nothing compares 2 U’ to her later albums, and especially some of her folk tracks. I spent the evening playing her CDs. Yeah, CDs – I’m a bit old school and love my music in physical form.
It’s been a while since I listened to her amazing voice. And I noticed that, on track after track, unlike many other artists, the instruments that accompanied her were mixed to allow her voice to be the focus. The arrangements were simple, stripped back. Even when they were rich with guitar or strings.
Shorn of all the folderols and the vocalisations beloved of others who shall remain nameless, her emotion shone through.
She did one thing. And by doing just that one thing, she did it brilliantly.
So brilliantly that she moved me to tears.
And there it is: we reach other people most effectively when we clear away the noise and concentrate on what really matters. The true essence.
As a self-confessed protest singer, she had many messages to share. But today, I’ll be remembering what she did, not just what she said, and thoughtfully applying that lesson as I go through my day. Stripping back the bells and whistles to bring greater focus on the core essence.