sinead trouble

Sinead O'Connor covers gospel classic "Trouble of the World" (watch the video)

sinead oconnor

It’s been a long time since Sinead O’Connor released something new — her last album was 2014’s I’m Not Busy, I’m the Boss and she contributed a song to 2015’s Tribute To Blind Willie Johnson — and she returns today with this cover of traditional spiritual “Trouble of the World” that was made famous by Mahalia Jackson. She recorded the song in Belfast with producer David Holmes. “For me the song isn’t about death or dying,” says Sinead. “More akin, a message of certainty that the human race is on a journey toward making this world paradise and that we will get there.”

The striking black and white video for “Trouble of the World” was directed by DJ, filmmaker and onetime Big Audio Dynamite member Don Letts who shot Sinead, wearing Black Lives Matter shirt and carrying a protest sign with Jackson’s photo, on the streets of South London’s Peckham Rye, intercut photos of protests from this year. You can watch the video below.

“Trouble of the World” is available via Heavenly Records’ Bandcamp and all proceeds will go to Black Lives Matter organizations.