On October 1, 2025, rising indie-pop sensation CMAT—known offstage as Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson—shocked her fans by announcing the sudden postponement of her entire October UK tour. The culprit? An excruciatingly painful, infected wisdom tooth that left her unable to sing, let alone crack a smile. For a performer whose career has been soaring, the timing couldn’t have been worse, and the news sent ripples through the music community, especially among those who had already secured tickets for her much-anticipated shows.
CMAT, 29, took to Instagram to break the news, writing, “I am devastated to say that due to an infected wisdom tooth I need to reschedule all of my upcoming dates of the October UK tour.” According to NME, she woke up with a throbbing pain in her jaw, which prompted an emergency dental appointment. Her dentist wasted no time, scheduling surgery for the following week to remove both lower wisdom teeth and prescribing antibiotics to tackle the infection. The recovery period, she explained, would be at least two weeks, with a short additional phase before she could safely return to the stage.
“I currently can’t even open my mouth wide enough to laugh, let alone sing,” CMAT confessed in her heartfelt message. She also lightened the mood, asking fans for “ice cream and or soup recommendations,” since chewing was off the table for the foreseeable future. The pain, she admitted, was so severe that she could “barely think straight enough to type.” Instead, she found herself confined to bed, binge-watching The Osbournes and dreaming about making it up to her loyal supporters.
The impact of the postponement is significant. The tour was set to kick off at London’s Brixton Academy on October 2, with planned stops in major cities including Manchester, Brighton, Sheffield, Cardiff, Leeds, Newcastle, and Glasgow. Ticket holders, however, need not panic: as reported by Far Out Magazine and The Mirror, all purchased tickets will remain valid for the rescheduled dates. For those unable to attend the new shows, refunds are readily available through the original point of purchase.
CMAT’s team is already working to reschedule the affected dates and has promised to provide updates as soon as possible. In her apology, she addressed the disappointment and inconvenience caused, especially to those who had made travel plans. “If there was anything I could do I would do it,” she wrote, “but I currently can’t even open my mouth wide enough to laugh let alone sing.” Her sincerity and vulnerability struck a chord with fans and media alike, with DonegalLive.ie noting the outpouring of support she received on social media.
This unexpected pause comes during what can only be described as a milestone year for the Dublin-born singer-songwriter. Her latest album, Euro-Country, debuted at number two in the UK charts and soared to the top spot in Ireland, a testament to her growing international appeal. The record, praised by NME as having “the courage and the consistency to land high on the fast-approaching end-of-year lists,” has solidified CMAT’s reputation as a fearless and refreshingly honest artist.
It hasn’t just been about chart success. In June, CMAT delivered a widely acclaimed performance on Glastonbury’s main stage, joining a select group of artists who have graced one of the world’s most iconic music festivals. Reflecting on the experience, she told BBC Radio 6 Music, “It’s worth noting that the two days beforehand, I was acting like someone who was about to go into war. I was shaking with the fear. I couldn’t talk to anyone, I didn’t sleep, like I was ill.” Despite the nerves, her set was hailed as one of the “most unforgettable moments from Worthy Farm” by NME, further cementing her status as a must-see live act.
Her momentum carried across the Atlantic this September, when she made her US television debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live, performing her hit single “Take A Sexy Picture Of Me.” The track, with its playful lyrics and infectious beat, even inspired a viral TikTok dance challenge dubbed the “woke macarena,” attracting participation from celebrities like Amelia Dimoldenberg and Julia Fox. Not bad for an artist who, just a few years ago, was releasing her debut album If My Wife New I’d Be Dead in 2022 and following it up with the Mercury Prize-nominated Crazymad, For Me in 2023.
Speaking of accolades, CMAT is currently shortlisted for the prestigious Mercury Prize 2025, alongside heavyweights such as Fontaines D.C., Sam Fender, Pulp, and Wolf Alice. The awards ceremony is set to take place in Newcastle on October 16. However, as Metro and NME both point out, it remains uncertain whether CMAT will be able to attend or perform at the event, given her ongoing recovery. This would mark her second Mercury Prize nomination, a rare feat and a clear indicator of her rising star power.
Looking ahead, fans can breathe a sigh of relief: CMAT’s longer 2025 tour—the biggest of her career so far—remains unaffected by her dental woes. Even more exciting, she has announced a massive UK and Ireland headline tour for 2026, kicking off in Edinburgh in March and including a high-profile show at London’s Alexandra Palace. And for those dreaming of sunnier climes, she’s set to take the stage at Coachella in April 2026, joining a star-studded lineup that includes Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter, and Iggy Pop for the festival’s 25th anniversary.
In the meantime, CMAT’s fans are left waiting—some with rescheduled tickets in hand, others with refunds. But one thing’s for sure: her candor, humor, and indomitable spirit have only deepened her connection with her audience. As she put it herself, “I love to sing so much. Rip my back two wisdom teeth—you would have loved Brixton Academy.”
With her return to the stage on the horizon and a string of major appearances lined up, it’s clear that even a dental emergency can’t keep CMAT down for long.
