Sinéad O'Connor has announced that she is to enter a one-year "trauma and addiction treatment" programme and is postponing her planned 2021 tour until 2022 as a result.
The singer made the announcement in a thread on her Twitter account on Tuesday, explaining that she "never took proper time to heal" from trauma in her life.
She wrote: "Message for folks who have tickets for next year's shows: those shows are being postponed until 2022 so that I may go into a one year trauma and addiction treatment program because I had a very traumatic six years and this year was the end of it but now recovery starts."
"This year I lost someone beloved and has affected me so badly that I became briefly addicted to a drug other than weed," she explained. "I have been addicted to weed for 34 years. A lifetime."
"The last year has been very traumatic also due to one of my kids being unwell and the child is thriving now thank god but the mom needs TLC," she continued.
"If I take this time to heal, I will be fit for a lifetime of touring. If I don't, I won't."
O'Connor described the music business as "a very unforgiving place for artists who need to postpone due to emotional or mental health issues".
"I would ask my agents and promoters to look into their souls regarding that and to support me in taking this step toward making a life I am happy in," she said.
She also asked her fans for their support and said that she would return with a new album and tour. She still plans to release her memoir in June 2021 and will promote it online.
O'Connor thanked people for their understanding, adding that she will begin treatment next week.
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