Irish singer-songwriter CMAT has voiced her profound disappointment regarding the body-shaming she endured following her recent performance at Radio 1’s Big Weekend festival.
The artist shared that the days after her set in Sunderland have been particularly challenging due to a barrage of online commentary fixated on her weight.
CMAT candidly stated that her current physique is not a deliberate statement or a form of rebellion, but rather simply a reflection of her having “a body.”
This is not the first instance the country music star has faced scrutiny over her size; in 2024, she noted that comments were disabled on a video of her performing at Big Weekend in Luton, suggesting a pattern of online harassment.
Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, known professionally as CMAT, commanded the main stage at the festival on Sunday evening, preceding the headline act, Olivia Dean.
She elaborated on the recent wave of body-shaming in an Instagram post on Thursday, feeling compelled to “wade in and speak for myself.”
“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,” she articulated.
The musician expressed a desire to cease discussing the matter but feels unable to, stating, “because it keeps happening, at an accelerating and worsening pace as I become more famous.”
“There is no relief from this – nobody can protect me or save me from this, and all that is demanded of me is more and more work as every environment I am placed in becomes more hostile.”
While comments have been deactivated on social media posts featuring CMAT’s performance at Big Weekend on Radio 1’s platforms, this measure has not been applied to content concerning other artists.
“We fully support CMAT and condemn any toxic commentary aimed at her,” Radio 1 stated in an official response.
The station highlighted that her performance was met with “an amazing reaction from the crowd in Sunderland and from those who’ve enjoyed it on iPlayer and Sounds.”
The Pervasive Issue of ‘Toxic Comment Sections’
CMAT also shared excerpts from a Substack essay by a fan, identified as Front Row Feels, which she believes “really has summed up a lot of what is causing my deep sadness.”
The essay drew a parallel between the treatment CMAT received and that of fellow Big Weekend performers Zara Larsson and Olivia Dean.
“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,” the fan wrote.
During her set in Sunderland, CMAT reminded the audience of the “very nasty comments” made about her appearance after her previous festival performance in 2024.
“It’s crazy because I’m actually very sexy,” she declared before launching into her song “Take A Sexy Picture Of Me,” a track that critiques the extreme beauty standards imposed upon women.
Meg Atkinson, a self-proclaimed CMAT fan, shared with Newsbeat that the singer’s perspective on beauty standards “really resonates” with her.
“It’s annoying that we still have to talk about these things, but CMAT is making a point and it’s making me feel seen and heard as a woman who doesn’t fit into those small ideals,” the 26-year-old commented.
Last year, CMAT revealed that the vitriol she faced after her Luton Big Weekend appearance served as inspiration for her aforementioned song.
“I was just wearing clothes and everyone was very annoyed at me for that,” she told Radio 1’s Jack Saunders at the time.
When approached for further comment, CMAT’s team indicated that she had no additional statements to provide.
Business Style Takeaway: The persistent issue of online harassment and body-shaming highlights a critical blind spot for global brands and media platforms. Companies must proactively address and mitigate toxic online environments to foster inclusive spaces, recognizing that reputational damage and audience alienation can stem from a failure to protect artists and consumers from such abuse.
According to the portal: www.bbc.com