Sinead O’Connor has always been an artist who refuses to beat to the sound of anyone else’s drum. The Irish singer is a maverick in the truest sense of the word, and O’Connor proved this in 1991 when she turned down an award from the Grammys.

For most artists, being nominated for a Grammy is a bucket-list achievement, and winning is everything they’ve ever dreamed about. However, when O’Connor found herself in this position, she wanted nothing to do with the ceremony. Instead, she wrote an emotional open letter to the board explaining her decision not to accept the award.

Remarkably, O’Connor was nominated in four separate categories, including the prestigious ‘Record Of The Year for ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’. She was already one of the most-talked-about artists on the planet, but a haul at the Grammys could have had a life-changing prosperous effect on her career, but O’Connor viewed things differently and had lost all interest in fame.

In the end, O’Connor was only awarded the prize for ‘Best Alternative Music Performance’ for her album, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, but wasn’t in attendance to accept it. Explaining her decision not to attend, she penned in an open letter:

“As artists, I believe our function is to express the feelings of the human race–to always speak the truth and never keep it hidden even though we are operating in a world that does not like the sound of the truth. I believe that our purpose is to inspire and, in some way, guide and heal the human race, of which we are all equal members.”

O’Connor added: “They acknowledge mostly the commercial side of art. They respect mostly material gain since that is the main reason for their existence. And they have created a great respect among artists for material gain — by honoring us and exalting us when we achieve it, ignoring, for the most part, those of us who have not.”

Although other artists have announced their intention not to accept a Grammy over the years, O’Connor remains the only one who was named as a winner. After being thrust into the limelight on an international scale, O’Connor changed her outlook on the world and no longer desired the glamourous accolades she once set her heart upon.

This bold gesture in 1991 would set a precedent for the rest of O’Connor’s career, which has seen her constantly flicking two fingers at the system. She most notably held up a photograph of Pope John Paul II to the camera when she sang the word “evil” during a cover of ‘War’ by Bob Marley on Saturday Night Live.

Watch O’Connor’s performance from the 1989 edition of the Grammys below.

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