CMAT (musician)

Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson (born 23 February 1996), known professionally as CMAT, is an Irish singer, songwriter, and musician.[1] Her debut album, If My Wife New I'd Be Dead, was released in February 2022 and entered the Irish Album Charts at number one.[2] The Guardian wrote of her music; "Her songs are mournful yet accessible, emotionally literate and cleverly crafted, but, crucially, with a huge sense of humour..."[3]

CMAT
CMAT onstage holding an acoustic guitar
CMAT performing in 2022
Background information
Birth nameCiara Mary-Alice Thompson
Born (1996-02-23) 23 February 1996
OriginDublin, Ireland
Genres
Years active2017 (2017)–present
LabelsCMATBaby/AWAL
Websitecmatbaby.com

Early life

CMAT was born in Dublin, and moved with her family to Clonee and Dunboyne in County Meath as a child.[4] She returned to Dublin to study at Trinity College Dublin,[5] but left the college and moved to Denmark.[6]

Career

CMAT, who had aspirations to become a professional musician from a young age, relocated to Manchester, England, to pursue a career in music with her then boyfriend, performing together as Bad Sea.[7][8][1][9] She has since described their relationship as toxic and isolating, and she stopped pursuing a music career, living a partying lifestyle.[9] She attended an in-person listening session at a London studio with the English singer Charli XCX, who advised CMAT to reimagine her approach.[10]

Breaking up with her boyfriend and returning to Ireland, she began self-releasing her music online to considerable attention and received radio play from RTÉ Radio 1 and BBC Radio 6 Music.[11][12][13][14] Her debut album If My Wife New I'd Be Dead was released in February 2022. Metacritic, which aggregates review scores, gives the album a score of 85 based on 9 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[15] Hot Press magazine wrote that the album was "undoubtedly one of the most thrilling Irish pop debuts of the century".[16] In a four-star review, DIY wrote: "If My Wife New... feels like a more well-rounded, modern proposition than one solely indebted to the oldest style going could suggest."[17] The album entered the Irish Album Charts at number one.[18] In June 2022, she released a single called "Peter Bogdanovich", which came with a video which featured CMAT dressing as the late director.[19][20] On 19 August 2022, "Peter Bogdanovich"[21] charted at number 20 on the Irish Homegrown Top 20.[22] In March 2023, If My Wife New I'd Be Dead won the Choice Music Prize for Irish Album of the Year.[23]

In June 2023, CMAT announced her next album, Crazymad, for Me[24], which was released in October 2023. Like her previous album, this album debuted at number one on the Irish Album Charts.[25]

CMAT has been noted for her large fanbase among Irish LGBTQ+ people,[26][27] once telling an NME interviewer "I'm making music for the girls and the gays, and that's it."[28]

Personal life

CMAT is bisexual.[29]

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

  • "Another Day (KFC)" (2020)
  • "Rodney" (2020)
  • "I Wanna Be a Cowboy, Baby!" (2020)
  • "Uncomfortable Christmas" (2020)
  • "I Don't Really Care for You" (2021)
  • "2 Wrecked 2 Care" (2021)
  • "No More Virgos" (2021)
  • "Lonely" (2022)
  • "Every Bottle (Is My Boyfriend)" (2022)
  • "Communion (Country Version)" (2022)
  • "Mayday (2023)
  • "Whatever's Inconvenient" (2023)
  • "Have Fun!" (2023)
  • "Where Are Your Kids Tonight?" featuring John Grant (2023)
  • "Stay for Something" (2023)

Awards and nominations
AwardYearNominated WorkAwardResultRef.
Choice Music Prize2022If My Wife New I'd Be DeadAlbum of the YearWon[30]

References
  1. Deming, Mark (2020). "CMAT Biography on AllMusic". allmusic.com. All Music. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  2. Ainsley, Helen. "CMAT flies to Number 1 in Ireland with debut album If My Wife New I'd Be Dead". officialcharts.com. Archived from the original on 12 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  3. Hutchinson, Kate (15 January 2022). "One to watch: CMAT". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 12 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  4. "Meath country star Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson to headline Slane Otherside Festival". Meath Chronicle. 26 January 2023. Archived from the original on 10 February 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  5. "Album review: CMAT – If My Wife New I'd Be Dead | The Point Of Everything". Archived from the original on 16 June 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  6. "CMAT on the advice she got from Charli XCX, and why 'authenticity' is over-rated". Irish Examiner. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  7. O'Neill, Lauren (4 March 2022). "CMAT If My Wife New I'd Be Dead Album Interview". i. Archived from the original on 12 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  8. Clayton Lea, Tony (4 March 2022). "CMAT interview: 'I'm not where I thought I'd be when I was 18. I thought I'd be Ariana Grande or someone like that . . . but I'm much happier where I am now'". Business Post. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  9. Kheraj, Alim (13 July 2023). "'All the saddest people I've met are the funniest': CMAT on making bone-achingly funny pop out of misery". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 13 July 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  10. Rogers, Becky (10 October 2020). "CMAT Dublin cowgirl turning shitposting into Americana bangers". NME. Archived from the original on 12 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  11. Fitzgerald, Eric (10 March 2022). "CMAT brimming with confidence and verve". Limerick Post. Archived from the original on 12 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  12. Murphy, Lauren (7 June 2020). "Meet Cmat, the snack and roll star of Another Day (KFC)". thetimes.co.uk. The Times. Archived from the original on 12 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  13. "CMAT". rte.ie. RTÉ. 15 July 2020. Archived from the original on 12 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  14. "Friday Free For All". BBC. 5 March 2021. Archived from the original on 12 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.,
  15. "If My Wife new I'd Be Dead". metacritic.com. Metacritic. Archived from the original on 12 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  16. O'Toole, Lucy (4 March 2022). "Album Review CMAT If My Wife New I'd Be Dead". Hot Press. Archived from the original on 12 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  17. Wright, Lisa (4 March 2022). "Cmat If My Wife New I'd Be Dead Review". DIY. Archived from the original on 7 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  18. "Yeehaw! CMAT flies to Irish No. 1 with her debut album". rte.ie. RTÉ. 11 March 2022. Archived from the original on 12 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
  19. "WATCH: CMAT – 'Peter Bogdanovich'". 15 June 2022. Archived from the original on 27 June 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  20. "CMAT dresses as 'Peter Bogdanovich' in new music video". 15 June 2022. Archived from the original on 19 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  21. "CMAT has shared a new video for 'Peter Bogdanovich' | Dork". 15 June 2022. Archived from the original on 19 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  22. "Irish Homegrown Top 20 | Official Charts Company". Official Charts. Archived from the original on 19 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  23. Hillard, Mark (9 March 2023). "Choice Music Prize: CMAT's If My Wife New I'd Be Dead wins album of the year". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 12 March 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  24. Reilly, Nick (1 June 2023). "CMAT announces new album 'Crazymad, for me', shares lead single". Rolling Stone UK. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  25. Newsdesk, The Hot Press. "CMAT's Crazymad,for Me debuts at no.1 on Irish Charts, The Mary Wallopers Irish Rock n Roll reaches no.2". Hotpress. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  26. Kiberd, Roisin (12 October 2023). "CMAT Makes Country Music Sad, Smart and Strange". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  27. "From Lil Nas X to CMAT - Four queer hits you need to listen to". GCN. 29 March 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  28. Rogers, Becky (13 October 2020). "CMAT: Dublin cowgirl turning shitposting into Americana bangers". NME. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  29. Kiberd, Roisin (12 October 2023). "CMAT Makes Country Music Sad, Smart and Strange". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 13 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  30. "Choice Music prize 2022". The Irish Times. 2022. Archived from the original on 12 March 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
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