The Cranberries singer Dolores O’Riordan has been found dead in a London hotel room at the age of 46.
The Metropolitan Police were called to the Hilton hotel in Park Lane just after 9am yesterday to deal with a “sudden death”. Scotland Yard are not treating the death as suspicious and a report will be compiled for the coroner, the Irish Independent reports.
Article continues belowThe Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Irish singer had spoken openly in recent years about her depression, anorexia, the sexual abuse she suffered as a child and her suicidal spells, The Times reports.
The Cranberries, described by Rolling Stone as “Ireland's biggest mzsical export since U2”, sold more than 40 million albums during a career that spanned the 1990s. They reunited in 2009, but a comeback tour last year was cancelled because O’Riordan was suffering from back problems.
Publicist Lindsey Holmes confirmed that the singer had died “suddenly”, adding: “Family members are devastated to hear the breaking news and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.”
Bandmates Noel and Mike Hogan and Fergal Lawler said in a separate statement that they were “devastated” by the news. “The world has lost a true artist today,” they added
Irish President Michael D. Higgins said O'Riordan's influence on the music world had been “immense”.
“To all those who follow and support Irish music, Irish musicians and the performing arts, her death will be a big loss,” he said in a statement.