CMAT: Last News

CMAT spoke to NME at the BRITs 2025 about how the success of The Last Dinner Party is marking a new era for women in the music industry.The Irish singer-songwriter, real name Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, caught up with NME while on the red carpet last night (March 1), sharing her love for the artists nominated this year. One in particular was The Last Dinner Party, who she credited with having inspiring impact on other women.The band were the recipients of the BRITs Rising Star award last year, and were nominated for four awards this time, walking away with Best New Artist and using their speech to voice support for grassroots music venues.“I’m very openly a big fan of The Last Dinner Party, they’re such a beacon for me,” CMAT told NME.

CMAT has announced a new album and shared the uplifting single ‘Running/Planning’ – check out all the details below.The record, which is the follow up to her 2023 LP, ‘Crazymad, For Me‘, is set for release on August 29 and can pre-ordered/pre-saved here. The first taster for the LP, ‘Running/Planning’ has been shared today (March 25) and you can listen to it and view the video for the single below.CMAT – real name Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson – has also announced a new set of UK/Ireland and European tour dates which include a show at the O2 Brixton Academy on October 2 and will wrap up at the 3Arena in Dublin on December 3.Tickets go on general sale at 10am BST on April 4 for the UK dates and can be purchased here while fans can access pre-sale tickets by pre-ordering the new album before 5pm on April 1 here.

Kneecap scheduled to headline off the back of the Irish rap trio’s acclaimed debut album, ‘Fine Art’ (2024).Other confirmed acts include CMAT, English Teacher (this year’s Mercury Prize-winners), Daniel Avery, Mannequin Pussy, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, Puzzle (UK debut) and Sprints.Further down the bill are Erol Alkan BTB Optimo (Espacio), Frankie & The Witch Fingers, Gaye Su Akyol, Getdown Services, Hello Mary, HiTech, Jasmine.4.t, Martin Rev, Mermaid Chunky, Patriarchy, Ugly, W.I.T.C.H and Wine Lips.“This is only just the beginning,” organisers wrote alongside the initial line-up poster, “we have tons more cutting-edge artists still to be announced.” See the full list of names so far here:KNEECAP TO HEADLINE WIDE AWAKE 2025!Plus very special guest CMAT and Mercury Prize winners English Teacher.They’ll be joined by renowned electronic producer Daniel Avery, Philly punk quartet Mannequin Pussy, Aussie rockers Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, a UK debut from Fletcher… pic.twitter.com/lVScBYxGd6— Wide Awake (@wideawakeldn) November 5, 2024Tickets for next year’s Wide Awake are on general sale now – you can buy yours here.The 2025 instalment promises seven live music stages, more than 70 performing artists, an exclusive VIP area, the best London street foot, a craft beer fair⁠, workshops, talks and more still to be announced⁠.Wide Awake recently announced a date change for 2025 following the news that Field Day would be returning to Brockwell Park next May, after a stint at Victoria Park in east London.The 2024 edition of Wide Awake was headlined by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, and also featured performances from the likes of Slowdive, Young Fathers, Alice Glass, Dry Cleaning, Squid, Fat Dog and Lynks.Reviewing Wide Awake

CMAT has spoken to NME about how so much new music is breaking through to an audience who have been “starved for an alternative perspective”.The Irish singer-songwriter caught up with NME on the red carpet for this year’s Mercury Prize where she was shortlisted for her 2023 album ‘Crazymad, For Me’, and faced stiff competition from the likes of Charli XCX, The Last Dinner Party, Ghetts, Corinne Bailey Rae, Beth Gibbons, Barry Can’t Swim and more.However, at the Abbey Road ceremony last Thursday (September 5) it was Leeds band and former NME Cover stars English Teacher who won. The victory made them the first non-London winners of the award in a decade.Ahead of their victory, CMAT – real name Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson – reflected on the number of debut albums that had made the shortlist this year, and explained how it mirrored the demands from fans in 2024.“There is a lot of really creative stuff happening because it feels harder than ever to be a musical act in the first place,” she said.

The Libertines and CMAT are set to perform at Glastonbury‘s Pilton Party this weekend – you can find all the details below.The annual event is staged at Worthy Farm in Somerset as a ‘thank you’ fundraising gig for villagers, workers and local people in the area.This year marks the 40th anniversary of Pilton Party, which first took place back in 1984. On Friday (September 6), The Libertines will top the bill on an open-air stage close to where the Woodsies Stage (fka the John Peel Stage) is located at Glastonbury Festival.CMAT is scheduled to open for the band following slots from local support acts, and DJ sets courtesy of Patmandu and Baggy Mondays.A post shared by Glastonbury Festival (@glastofest)Tickets for the one-day event are on sale now, priced at £45 (adult) and £20 (child) – you can buy yours here.

CMAT has spoken to NME about being nominated for the Mercury Prize 2024, as well as more music industry action being required over the situation in Palestine.The Irish singer-songwriter (real name Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson) was speaking to us on the red carpet at the launch of the Mercury Prize yesterday (Thursday July 25), where she was shortlisted for album of the year for the acclaimed ‘Crazymad, For Me’ – alongside Charli XCX, English Teacher, Ghetts, Beth Gibbons, BERWYN, Corinne Bailey Rae and more.“Of all the things that have happened this year, this feels the most important, special and surreal,” Thompson told NME. “I’ve watched the Mercury Prize, listened to all the albums that get nominated and have followed it for years. I used to watch the stream as a teenager.

CMAT has performed a rendition of Kate Bush‘s ‘Wuthering Heights’ while performing at one of her shows in London.The Irish singer – real name Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson – took over London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town last month while on her California Or Bust tour. Midway through her set, she took the time to cover Bush’s 1978 debut single.CMAT shared a snippet of the live performance on her official X/Twitter account. “‘Wuthering Heights’ from kentish town forum !! i’ve wanted to do this since i was about 14 years old.

Latitude festival over its sponsorship with Barclays and the bank’s ties to Israel.Zyu shared a statement on her official Instagram account explaining her decision to boycott the Suffolk Music Festival. “The festival is sponsored by Barclays who are continuing to profit from the genocide in Palestine,” began her statement.She continued: “Barclays are on the BDS Movement’s boycott list.

Declan McKenna has spoken to NME about working with CMAT, as well as his plans for Glastonbury and new material.The singer-songwriter and past Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition winner was speaking to NME backstage at last week’s BBC Radio One Big Weekend, where hailed fellow performer CMAT over the work they did together on her latest album, ‘Crazymad, For Me‘.“We’ve got a song called ‘Vincent Kompany’ that we wrote together and I helped her out with,” he said. “Her brain works incredibly quickly when you’re working with her.“She’s got the gift of the gab, which is part of her songwriting capabilities, always coming up with little quips.

CMAT has announced that she has pulled out of Latitude 2024 over the festival’s sponsorship with Barclays and its ties to Israel.The Irish singer-songwriter took to her official Instagram account to share a statement explaining why she had decided to not perform at the Suffolk Music Festival. She used a photo of her attending the festival back in 2021 as the background photo of her post.She began her statement by pointing out how Barclays is the festival’s main sponsor, and discussing its connections to ongoing war in Gaza.“You may or may not be aware, but Latitude’s main sponsor is Barclays bank, who have been revealed to I have increased their financing of various companies who are supplying weapons and military technology to Israel.

CMAT has responded after the BBC disabled comments on the video for her performance at Big Weekend due to extensive body-shaming.The Irish singer-songwriter took to the stage at the 2024 edition of BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend, which was held at Stockwood Park, Luton at the end of last week.However, footage of her set began to gather unwanted attention online, with many flocking to the post to criticise the musician about her appearance. After being up for less than a week, the BBC then decided to disable comments on the video.Now, following the decision, Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson herself has responded to the backlash, and shared what it was like to face online abuse.“Yesterday the BBC had to turn comments off a video of me performing at big weekend because so many people were calling me fat in the comments,” she shared on X/Twitter last night (May 29).“Today a different video of me at the BRIT awards is going viral on south american tiktok and now people are calling me fat in spanish.”In a follow-up post, she added: “I didnt realise it was ILLEGAL to have a HUGE ASS !!!! i am GUILTY as CHARGED it is time to lock me up and throw away THE KEY!!!!! By the way i am an award winning songwriter that has released two albums which were received to ‘universal acclaim’.”yesterday the BBC had to turn comments off a video of me performing at big weekend because so many people were calling me fat in the comments.

CMAT has spoken to NME about the impressive cultural footprint of her native Ireland, as well as plans for her next album – which could arrive sooner than you think.Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson was speaking to us on the red carpet of the Ivor Novellos in London this week (Thursday May 23), where she was nominated for Best Album for the acclaimed ‘Crazymad, For Me‘ – but was already convinced that she wouldn’t win due to the competition she faced. The award was later picked up by Yussef Dayes.“Lankum are nominated for the award, who’ve already beat me for Irish album of the year – also RAYE, who won 75million awards at the BRITs and I just sat through that, twiddling my thumbs, not winning anything,” Thompson told NME.

CMAT has released her new country-inspired single ‘Aw, Shoot’ – take a listen below.The Irish musician has dropped her new song as her first new music since her album last year ‘Crazymad, For Me‘.CMAT opened up about the backstory behind the melancholy track, writing: “So there I was, in Paris, France, in a rented flat. I was trying to write songs but it wasn’t going very well at all.

RAYE, Sampha and Yussef Dayes leading nominees.The nominees were announced today (April 23) in eight categories including the Best Album, Best Contemporary Song and the Rising Star Award with Amazon Music. The awards ceremony with Amazon Music will take place on May 23 at Grosvenor House.Sampha and Yussef Dayes have the most nominations with two each; each artist is contending for a Best Album award for their respective records ‘Lahai‘ and ‘Black Classical Music’.

CMAT has revealed that she had a plan to film an epic music video with Jedward for her second album.The singer-songwriter took to X/Twitter to share her love for the group – comprised of twins John and Edward Grimes, who first found fame on X Factor back in 2009.After their time on the show, the Irish pop duo went on to release four studio albums, and have frequently made appearances on reality television across the UK. However, the siblings have been making headlines more recently following the comments made by former X Factor judge Louis Walsh, who described them as “vile” while on Celebrity Big Brother.“They were vile…But they were great.

CMAT was joined on stage by John Grant in Manchester last night (March 8) for a version of their collaborative song ‘Where Are Your Kids Tonight?’ – check it out below. The performance came as part of BBC’s 6 Music Festival, which is currently taking place across Greater Manchester this weekend. CMAT was playing the O2 Victoria Warehouse, in the slot immediately before headliner Gossip.

CMAT has hit out at the Irish broadcaster RTÉ, after they cut Lankum’s acceptance speech at the Choice Music Prize, in which the band spoke passionately about Palestine.The band were picking up this year’s edition of the award, which is handed out to the best album by an Irish artist. Their fourth album ‘False Lankum’ beat other contenders such as The Murder Capital, Kojaque and CMAT herself, who picked up last year’s prize for her debut album ‘If My Wife New I’d Be Dead’.Lankum, who also won the award in 2019 for ‘The Livelong Day’, took to the stage to accept, and singer Ian Lynch used the opportunity to express solidarity with the people of Palestine and called for direct action against Israel.i believe it was incredibly disrespectful of @RTE2fm to cut @LankumDublin ‘s winning speech out of their broadcast, in which Ian spoke so eloquently about the genocide happening in Palestine right now.

CMAT has spoken to NME about the rising popularity of country music in the mainstream, as well as new music and plans to start a religion devoted to Kylie Minogue. Watch our interview above.Speaking to NME at the BRIT Awards 2024 – where the singer, real name Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, was nominated for International artist of the year – told us how the Australian pop icon inspired her as a child.“She is the love of my life and the most important woman.

The Smile, Young Fathers and Gossip will headline this year’s BBC 6 Music Festival – check out the full line up below.The event will take place from March 7-10 in Greater Manchester at the City’s Victoria Warehouse.Young Fathers will perform on March 7 with Hulme and Moss Side based NIA community choir. They will be supported by Hal Baker and SHERELLE, who will perform a DJ set.March 8 will see Gossip headline at their first UK show in over four years.

The Last Dinner Party, Sleaford Mods and Keane are set to perform at this year’s BRITs Week in aid of War Child.The event, which has been running since 2009, will see artists perform one-off gigs in intimate surroundings. Since its inception, the event has raised £7million for War Child, to help children whose lives have been devastated by war.BRITs Week for War Child will take place in the weeks around The BRIT Awards 2024 on March 2, with artists playing in venues across the capital and beyond.

The Last Dinner Party, Tyla and Peggy Gou being tipped for success next year.The other acts rounding out this year’s list are Aya Starr, Caity Baser, CMAT, Elmeine, Kenya Grace, Olivia Dean and Sekou.This year’s longlist is largely dominated by female solo acts, with strong showings for British soul and R&B and artists from Africa. It was voted for by a panel of 140 music industry experts, including representatives from Spotify, Apple Music, Glastonbury Festival, the BBC and former nominees including Jorja Smith, PinkPantheress and Tom Grennan.The winner will be revealed in the new year on BBC Radio 1, with the top five revealed in reverse order between January 1-5.