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CMAT addresses online abuse over body image
The Irish singer-songwriter CMAT has expressed her distress over a wave of body-shaming comments following her performance at Radio 1's Big Weekend in Sunderland.
Public response to abuse
In an Instagram post on Thursday, CMAT described the relentless criticism as "boring" and emotionally exhausting. She emphasized that her appearance is not a deliberate statement but simply her natural body.
"It is literally so boring for me, a gorgeous genius, to keep having to yap on about how horribly I am treated because of my body."
CMAT, Instagram
The musician, whose real name is Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, stated that the abuse has intensified as her fame grows, leaving her with no respite from the hostility.
Radio 1's stance and fan support
Radio 1 condemned the toxic commentary, affirming its support for CMAT. The station highlighted the positive reception her performance received from both the live audience in Sunderland and online listeners via iPlayer and BBC Sounds.
Comments on videos of her performance were disabled on Radio 1's social media accounts, though posts about other artists remained open for discussion.
Fan essay highlights double standards
CMAT shared screenshots of a Substack essay by a fan, Front Row Feels, which she said captured her sadness. The essay contrasted the treatment of CMAT with that of fellow Big Weekend performers Zara Larsson and Olivia Dean, noting a stark difference in how they were discussed online.
"What struck me most while scrolling through those toxic comment sections was the glaring disparity in how different women on that same lineup were treated."
Front Row Feels, Substack
On-stage defiance and past struggles
During her Sunderland set, CMAT addressed the issue directly, recalling the "very nasty comments" she faced after her 2024 Big Weekend appearance. She declared herself "very sexy" before performing her hit Take A Sexy Picture Of Me, a song that critiques unrealistic beauty standards.
Fan Meg Atkinson, 26, told Newsbeat that CMAT's message resonated with her, particularly as someone who doesn't conform to narrow beauty ideals.
Previous incidents and creative inspiration
This is not the first time CMAT has confronted body-shaming. In 2024, the BBC disabled comments on a video of her Luton performance after similar abuse. She later revealed that some of those insults inspired Take A Sexy Picture Of Me.
At the time, she told Radio 1's Jack Saunders, "I was just wearing clothes and everyone was very annoyed at me for that."
No further comment
CMAT's team declined to provide additional statements when contacted for comment.
