CMAT (musician)

Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson (born 23 February 1996), known professionally as CMAT, is an Irish singer, songwriter, and musician. 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. 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..."

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

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. She has since described their relationship as toxic and isolating, and she stopped pursuing a music career, living a partying lifestyle. She attended an in-person listening session at a London studio with the English singer Charli XCX, who advised CMAT to reimagine her approach.

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. 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". Hot Press magazine wrote that the album was "undoubtedly one of the most thrilling Irish pop debuts of the century". 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." The album entered the Irish Album Charts at number one. In June 2022, she released a single called "Peter Bogdanovich", which came with a video which featured CMAT dressing as the late director. On 19 August 2022, "Peter Bogdanovich" charted at number 20 on the Irish Homegrown Top 20. In March 2023, If My Wife New I'd Be Dead won the Choice Music Prize for Irish Album of the Year.

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

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

Personal life
CMAT is bisexual.

Discography 
Studio albums
 If My Wife New I'd Be Dead (2022)
 Crazymad, for Me (2023)

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

References

External links 
 CMAT on Bandcamp
 CMAT on Twitter

Irish musicians
Living people
1996 births
Musicians from Dublin (city)
Irish bisexual people
Bisexual women musicians