Irish singer-songwriter CMAT says she is “deep[ly] sad” after receiving body-shaming comments linked to her appearance at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend festival. Multiple outlets report that, after performing at the Sunderland event on 24 May, she faced criticism focused on her weight and how she looked, including comments directed at photos taken during her set. In a statement posted on Instagram, CMAT (Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson) says she felt compelled to respond and address what she described as misogynistic abuse. BBC News and The Guardian characterize the days after the performance as difficult, with CMAT describing “deep sadness” in relation to the abuse she experienced. Billboard similarly reports that she responded to the online backlash, saying she felt she had to sit through or endure it rather than ignore it. BreakingNews.ie and The Independent also describe her expressing “deep sadness” over body-shaming. Across sources, CMAT’s central message is that increased public visibility has brought more scrutiny of her body, and that she is speaking up in response to the comments.