Dolores O’Riordan spoke about making a new Cranberries album and touring in a phone conversation with guitarist Noel Hogan days before her death.
The Limerick singer was found dead in a hotel room in London on January 15. She was 46 years old.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, Hogan said the pair spoke on January 12 about going on tour in March and beginning work on a new album, which would have been their first in six years. “She was great,” he said. “We spoke about getting back to work.” On January 14, she emailed him some new songs that could potentially be included on the new record.
According to the article, O’Riordan flew to London the day before her death for a meeting with producer Youth about the second album from D.A.R.K. – her project with The Smiths‘ Andy Rourke. She was also reportedly planning to record vocals for a new version of ‘Zombie’ by LA metal band Bad Wolves.
The singer is said to also have left two voicemail messages for Dan Waite, the label executive who had set up the alliance with Bad Wolves. In them, he said she spoke about her children’s positive reaction Eminem sampling ‘Zombie’ on his new album, and sang part of The Verve‘s ‘Bittersweet Symphony’.
“She was in a good space,” Waite said. “I’ve seen a few things saying she was depressed, but she was definitely making plans for the week.”
O’Riordan was laid to rest today (January 23) in her hometown of Ballybricken, County Limerick. Canon Liam McNamara led the service at St Ailbe’s Church, while several symbolic items from the singer’s life, including a guitar and a platinum disc, were brought to the altar.
“It is our sincere prayer that our beloved Dolores is now re-united with her father, Terry, her baby brother, Gerard, grandparents, relatives and friends, in the presence of the Lord and Our Lady of Dolours in the heavenly kingdom, where there is no more pain or suffering or separations, but only joy and peace for all eternity,” McNamara reportedly said.