Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard Honor Sinéad O’Connor on SNL 50th Anniversary with ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ Cover

Miley Cyrus and Brittany Howard delivered a heartfelt tribute to the late Sinéad O’Connor during SNL50: The Anniversary Special on Sunday, February 16. The duo performed an emotional rendition of O’Connor’s iconic song Nothing Compares 2 U, originally written by Prince and featured on O’Connor’s 1990 album I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got.

A Tribute to a Legendary Artist

This performance marked another collaboration between Cyrus and Howard, who previously teamed up to sing Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen during the SNL homecoming concert on February 14. Their tribute served as a poignant moment, recognizing O’Connor’s impact on music and her connection to Saturday Night Live.

O’Connor, who passed away in 2023, left a lasting imprint on SNL history with her controversial and powerful 1992 performance. Instead of performing one of her own songs, she sang an a cappella version of Bob Marley’s War, directing the camera operators to zoom in on her face. At the song’s conclusion, she looked into the camera and declared, “Fight the real enemy,” before tearing up a photo of Pope John Paul II in protest against the Catholic Church’s alleged cover-up of child abuse.

The Backlash and O’Connor’s Perspective

Her protest became one of SNL’s most infamous moments, leading to widespread backlash. The segment where she tore up the Pope’s photo was removed from reruns of the episode.

Reflecting on the incident in a 2021 interview with PEOPLE, O’Connor stated that she fully anticipated the controversy. “I understood it because we joke in Ireland or in Europe that Americans don’t think anything happened until it happened to them. So I totally understood. I didn’t blame anyone.”

In her 2021 memoir Rememberings, she reaffirmed that she never regretted her actions: “A lot of people say or think that tearing up the Pope’s photo derailed my career. That’s not how I feel about it. I feel that having a number-one record derailed my career, and my tearing the photo put me back on the right track.”

Lorne Michaels on O’Connor’s Protest

In the 2025 documentary Ladies and Gentleman…50 Years of SNL Music, SNL creator Lorne Michaels reflected on O’Connor’s bold act. “There was a part of me that admired the bravery of what she’d done and also the absolute sincerity of it,” he said.

A Fitting Homage

Cyrus and Howard’s performance of Nothing Compares 2 U during SNL’s 50th-anniversary special was a moving homage to O’Connor’s artistry and her fearless spirit. Their tribute underscored her lasting influence on music and activism, ensuring that her legacy continues to resonate with audiences today.