Sinead OConnor revealed her record company told her to terminate pregnancy

Before her death, Sinead O'Connor claimed her record company wanted her to terminate her pregnancy in 1987 to focus on recording her first album.

The singer opened up about her life and career in Nothing Compares, the latest documentary from Sky, and spoke about becoming pregnant with her first son, Jake. The Irish singer and activist died on 26 July, aged 56.

Sinead was recording her first album, The Lion and the Cobra, when she learnt of her pregnancy at the age of 20 – and said the record company NSign asked her to reconsider carrying the baby.

"The record companies in those days had their own doctors that they sent you to," she said. "The doctor announces that the record company have spent £100,000 making a record, you owe it to them not to have this baby."

Deciding to keep her baby, Sinead pushed back and scrapped the first version of her album.

"It was a response to them telling me I owed it to them not to have a baby. I was like, ‘Well, it ain’t worth it for a s**t f**king record,'" she continued.

Mike Clowes, a member of Sinead's band, added: "NSign tried to dissuade her from carrying on the pregnancy and giving birth to Jake.

"Thankfully, she obviously stood her ground but they did put pressure on her to terminate the pregnancy."

Sinead gave birth to her son Jake in 1987 – her first and only child with her first husband, record producer John Reynolds. She went on to marry three more times after John, wedding Nick Sommerlad, Steve Cooney and Barry Herridge.

In addition to Jake, Sinead gave birth to three more children: Brigidine in 1996, Shane in 2004 and Yeshua in 2006.

In January last year, Sinead announced that her 17-year-old son Shane had died after deciding to "end his earthly struggle", having been reported missing from County Kildare the night before.

"May he rest in peace and may no one follow his example. My baby. I love you so much. Please be at peace," she wrote on Twitter.

The singer later cancelled all of her tour dates while grieving her son, having been admitted to hospital herself a few days after Shane's death. She had been due to perform at events including the Galway International Arts Festival, but told fans she would not be returning to the stage until at least 2023.

A statement shared on her official website read: "We would like to respectfully announce that due to the ongoing bereavement process, Sinéad has been advised it would be healthier for her to take the remainder of this year off and we hope to reschedule shows for 2023 when she is feeling stronger."

On July 26, the iconic singer's family confirmed her death and told Irish media they were "devastated". In a statement, they said: "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad.

"Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time."

The documentary Nothing Compares takes fans behind the hits and the headlines, with new interview clips with Sinead. It tells the tale of her complicated relationship with her "abusive" late mother, looks at claims her former record company tried to coax her into an abortion, and examines the live US TV appearance that saw her rip up a photo of the Pope.

Nothing Compares airs on Saturday 29 July at 9pm on Sky Documentaries

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