CMAT Shares Heartbreak Over Relentless Body-Shaming After Radio 1 Big Weekend

Irish singer-songwriter CMAT has opened up about the 'deep sadness' she has felt following her performance at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Sunderland. While her set was a hit with the live crowd, the days following the event have been overshadowed by a wave of body-shaming abuse on social media.

CMAT, whose real name is Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, took to Instagram to share how difficult the experience has been. She explained that her rise to fame is increasingly being tarnished by the fact that she would be allowed to enjoy her success so much more if she were thin. The singer clarified that her body is not a political statement or a 'punk rock act of liberty,' but simply the body she has.

This isn't an isolated incident for the artist. Earlier this year, a similar situation occurred after her performance at Big Weekend in Luton, which forced the BBC to disable comments on her videos. History repeated itself this week, as Radio 1 once again turned off comments on clips of CMAT’s performance to protect her from toxic trolls, while keeping comments open for other artists.

In her emotional post, CMAT expressed exhaustion at having to constantly defend herself, calling the situation 'literally so boring' for her to keep talking about. She noted that the environment feels more hostile as her fame grows, and that she feels there is no real relief or protection from the accelerating pace of the abuse.

Radio 1 has issued a statement in full support of the singer, condemning the toxic commentary and highlighting that her performance received an amazing reaction from the audience in Sunderland and those watching on iPlayer. Despite the negativity online, CMAT remains one of the most exciting voices in music today, even as she navigates the darker side of internet culture.

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