Los Angeles, Oct 26 (IANS): Irish singer Sinead O'Connor has announced she has converted to Islam.

The artist, who is best known for her 1990 hit version of the song "Nothing compares 2 U", said she has changed her name to Shuhada, reports bbc.com.

In a message on Twitter, she thanked fellow Muslims for their support.

She has said her decision was "the natural conclusion of any intelligent theologian's journey" and uploaded a video of herself singing the azaan, or Islamic call to prayer.

On Thursday, Irish Imam Shaykh Dr Umar al-Qadri posted a video of the singer saying the Islamic declaration of faith.

It is not the first time O'Connor, who legally changed her name to Magda Davitt last year, has publicly spoken about religion.

In 1992, she sparked controversy after ripping up a photograph of the Pope live on US television.

Seven years later, she was ordained by a breakaway church in Lourdes. The Catholic Church, which does not allow women to become priests, did not recognise the ceremony.