The greatest singers are always instantly recognisable. Dolores O’Riordan, front woman of the Irish band ‘The Cranberries’, has just such an unmistakable voice, a unique combination of power and fragility. A line into any song and I know it’s her. And a great voice always has something urgent to say. I feel that with Dolores, that she needs to be singing those words.
‘The Cranberries’ debut album ‘Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?’ is an iconic moment in 90’s music. It is a record both of its time and of all time – like her voice – with its ethereal, not of this world quality. It seems to float outside the music, left hanging in the air, as a light which has just been switched off might leave its afterglow in a dark room.
Despite her early death at the age of 46, her music is still so important to the people of her native Ireland. A version of her song ‘Dreams’ was performed at the funeral of Lyra McKee, a young journalist murdered on the streets of Northern Ireland in 2019. It was a beautiful tribute to both women.
