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Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, an Irish country-pop singer, creates humorous and emotionally charged songs about love and frightening experiences. She is also a skilled guitar player, wielding her white acoustic guitar with the confidence of a rockstar. Unlike traditional Nashville artists, Thompson’s performances are not characterized by a cheerful, shiny strumming style. Instead, she exudes energy through her powerful movements, hair flips, and deep lunges, as if it were her last performance. And yet, this is only the beginning of her set.
The California-based artist, known for her resemblance in name to a warning phrase, has recently released her newest album, Crazymad, for Me. This concept album, which came out last month, revolves around a woman’s desire for a time machine to prevent a disastrous relationship. Taking inspiration from the lyrics of a Sheena Easton song about infatuation and domestic life, it is considered one of the best albums of the year. With a blend of Adele-level heartache and wild energy, it is described as being over-the-top and all-encompassing. In an interview, the artist stated that she aimed to create a female version of Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell.
CMAT exceeds expectations in her role. This evening, at a venue in the Leeds University student union, she presents a backdrop featuring her name in bright neon lights that eventually transition into the colors of the Irish flag. Her energy, focused on promoting female empowerment, resonates with all audiences, but she also embodies a modern Irish spirit, reminiscent of both Sally Rooney’s sharp observations and the passion of the 2018 Irish abortion campaign. The topic of high rent costs, both financially and emotionally, is mentioned multiple times. She exudes a combination of retro and contemporary vibes.
This is a sparkling performance (“the CMAT panto!”) in a compact space. The center stage features a tiered platform adorned with a grand, elaborate mirror where CMAT occasionally sings to herself, mimicking a pop star with a hairbrush in hand. Before going solo, she was a member of a band called Bad Sea. For a while, Thompson strived to gain more recognition, but it was only during a writing session with Charli XCX that she was told to “get her act together” and sharpen her skills. Tonight, she playfully claims to be the “unpolished version” of fellow country-pop artist Taylor Swift. “The ITV version!”
The amazing band she leads enhances CMAT’s performance, dressed in pajama-style uniforms and shiny black berets, resembling members of a glamorous cult. Colm Conlan, the keyboard player, joins her in a duet for Where Are Your Kids Tonight?, CMAT’s 80s-inspired collaboration with John Grant, where she questions why a man with children is at a club. Conlan even participates in choreographed dance moves, similar to those seen on Strictly Come Dancing during line-dancing week. CMAT concludes her performance with a split, reminiscent of Peter Bogdanovich.
“Have Fun!” is a catchy song with a funky vibe that brings to mind Elton John’s mid-70s style. The singer starts off lying down on the stage, but her powerful voice still manages to reach the entire room. “I Don’t Really Care For You” is another impressive track from her debut album “If My Wife Knew I’d Be Dead (2022)”. The song is extended with false endings, a dance break, and dramatic sections, adding to its self-reflective nature.
The crowd began chanting “CMAT! CMAT!” in the beginning, but later changed it to “Leeds-mat! Leeds-mat!” when Thompson expressed her love for the city and revealed her father’s support for Leeds United. This created a rivalry between the current crowd and a previous show in Sheffield where a proposal took place. Thompson then jokes about the love story, saying “We all love a love story, right?” but quickly adds, “Not at a CMAT gig!”
With all the playful antics and antics, it could be easy to overlook the melancholy nature of CMAT’s music. Each song has its own unique mix of intricate elements – like finding someone else’s fake eyelashes on a CD case – self-sacrifice, and reflective understanding. Most of her songs have a comical edge, but still touch on deeper themes. Her album manages to be entertaining despite focusing on a toxic power dynamic.
When Thompson was a teenager, she became involved with a much older man. The topic of Crazymad, for Me revolves around the struggle of moving on from past events, no matter how deeply they may still affect us. CMAT mentions that she has a tendency to remember everything, as evident in her entire collection of music.
These tracks delve into the idea of owning up to one’s own errors, without absolving the other party involved. There are only a few instances where she fully embraces the pain of her past. In “Such a Miranda,” she starts off by herself with just her acoustic guitar, illuminated dramatically. CMAT croons, “She was a good girl, so I suffer the consequences / I must remain broken to be valuable to you at night.”
Each song is comparable to an encore, building up to an intense finale. “I would love to fully embrace this chorus,” she declares of I Wanna Be a Cowboy, Baby!, and then gracefully bends backwards while playing her guitar.
Stay for Something comes to an end, as CMAT reaches her vocal and emotional limits while struggling with feelings of anger towards her ex-partner. “But I just can’t bring myself to do it!” She exclaims with great force, before collapsing like a lifeless doll.
Source: theguardian.com
