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Investigates Investigates Money Diaries Daft.ie Property Magazine Allianz Home Magazine The 42 Sports Magazine TG4 Entertainment Magazine The Journal TV Climate Crisis Cost of Living Road Safety Newsletters Temperature Check Inside the Newsroom The Journal Investigates The Explainer A deep dive into one big news story Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion Advertisement More Stories CMAT on the Pyramid StageAlamy pyramid stage 'She has it all': CMAT's 'spectacular' Glastonbury set has the energy of a headliner, say rave reviews There was a “rapturous reaction” to her performance, according to The Guardian. 6.41pm, 27 Jun 2025 Share options CMAT’S GLASTONBURY PERFORMANCE is set to catapult her career into another universe, according to rave reviews from critics of the festival. The 29-year-old musician, whose real name is Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, played songs from her back catalogue as well as new singles, including Take A Sexy Picture Of Me, from her forthcoming third studio album Euro-Country. Plenty of festivalgoers could be seen doing the viral dance to the song, which has taken social media by storm in recent months. The energetic singer chanted “Free Palestine” and waded into the Pyramid Stage crowd, who were dancing in the midday heat, during her Glastonbury Festival set today. CMAT began her performance by pretending to faint before singing the first verse of Have FunAlamy The Guardian described her as a “spectacularly brilliant” performer, speculating that this show could pave the way for an even bigger surge in her popularity. There was a “rapturous reaction” to her set. “When she successfully encourages the audience to engage in synchronised dance moves to I Wanna Be a Cowboy, Baby!, she looks quite startled at what a crowd this size enthusiastically dancing in unison looks like,” The Guardian writes. “It’s all incredibly engaging and preposterously good fun. It really doesn’t seem inconceivable that she could be headlining the next time she returns. Advertisement Introducing herself, she told crowds: “My name is CMAT and I’m literally just a young one from Dunboyne/Dublin, depending who you ask.” “This is the scariest moment of my life but it will probably singlehandedly be the best and most amazing thing I’ll ever do,” she added. The Rolling Stones said CMAT “has it all” and will be one of the defining artists of 2025. “Her songs are catchy, poignant and well-crafted; on stage, she’s a powerhouse of performance, cracking gags and diving into the crowd, but not forgetting to make her final statement a call for a free Palestine. “It’s rare that a standout set, unlikely to be beaten for the whole weekend, arrives so early on the Friday afternoon at Worthy Farm, but the Irish singer is on a roll of stunning momentum right now.” The Independent called it a “note-perfect, high camp” set, which will “be a launch pad for the next chapter of her career”. “Her crooning and thick scooping vocals cut through the air like a machete, and that larger-than-life presence has a majestic quality to it, emphasised by the impression you get that she absolutely loves what she does. “By the time she’s screaming the final bars of Running/Planning from the floor, splashing a can of water over and flicking it around while headbanging like she’s in a Celine Dion video, there’s no doubt that we’ve witnessed someone who has squeezed every last drop of potential from this opportunity.” CMAT released her debut album, If My Wife New I’d Be Dead, in 2022, and followed it up with Mercury Prize-nominated Crazymad, For Me in 2023. Her third studio album is set for release on August 29. With reporting by PA Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Support The Journal Mairead Maguire View 3 comments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “'She has it all': CMAT's 'spectacular' Glastonbury set has the energy of a headliner, say rave reviews”. Recipient's Email Feedback on “'She has it all': CMAT's 'spectacular' Glastonbury set has the energy of a headliner, say rave reviews”. Your Feedback Your Email (optional) Report a Comment Please select the reason for reporting this comment. Please give full details of the problem with the comment... This is YOUR comments community. 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