Singer Sinead O'Connor now has the words "Free Pussy Riot" shaved into her famous short hair.

She carved the name to show solidarity with Pussy Riot, the Moscow female punk band, who were sentenced to jail for two years for insulting Russian leader Vladimir Putin in a “punk prayer.”

The three female Russian punk performers will serve two years in jail for “inciting religious hatred” after they appeared in a Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Moscow and sang a number in the form of a prayer asking the Virgin Mary to save Russia from Putin.

Speaking to the Sunday Independent, O’Connor stated: "People don't see any way out of what's going on economically or politically -- not just in Russia but all over the world. But artists have recognised there is a way out and it's that we begin to realise the problem is spiritual, not economical or political.

"When we recognise that, we can begin to claw our way back to a world as it was intended by its creator to be. Caring and compassionate."

She said: "These ladies are showing spiritual leadership in times of great crisis and that is the job of true artists."

Madonna, Sting and Paul McCartney have also backed the band.

O’Connor stated: “What I'm struck by is that it seems very strange to me that people would think prayer would be something that you can legislate about. I'm curious about that aspect, rather than the artistic element.

"I can identify with these girls in that they are using music as a priesthood. Artists are there to push the boundaries and they've made a very powerful artistic statement.

The Pussy Riot members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, 22, Ekaterina Samutsevich, 30, and Maria Alekhina, 24, smiled and waved in a Moscow court when the verdict was read.