CMAT has turned into her mother – and she’s written a song about it. The poignant fist-pumper – the third single from the global pop star’s upcoming second album – features none other than John Grant on guest duties.
CMAT on Where Are Your Kids Tonight?: “I wrote this song when I realised I had turned into my mother. It’s kind of inspired by this image I had of entering a waterfall-like portal from an Irish kids’ show called ‘Foreign Exchange’ where I’m looking at 1988 and 2023 at the exact same time every time I look at myself in the mirror. To quote a TikTok comment I saw recently: ‘The human experience is absolutely fucking wild.’”
John Grant on Where Are Your Kids Tonight?: “Mega-chuffed that Ciara invited me to be on this beautiful track. Love the lyrics”
The single follows a hectic few weeks for CMAT: a breakout Glastonbury moment on the Woodsies Stage, followed by a solo acoustic number post-Elton John on the BBC’s live coverage; a Spotify billboard on Grafton St and Times Square; two huge outdoor supports to Florence and the Machine in Dublin and Belfast, a BBC Radio 1 interview, and her first festival headline at Otherside.
Where Are Your Kids Tonight? was recorded, produced and mixed by Matias Tellez at his studio in Bergen, Norway, with John recording his vocals at his studio in Reykjavik, Iceland.
CMAT on working with John Grant: “I always knew this song was going to be a duet, and when I was writing it I always said to myself, ‘It would be so good if we could get someone *like* John Grant on this’, because a) his body of lyrics reflects my own life and experience more closely than anyone else working today b) I never thought we would get him. But I got him! And he is so sweet. His performance really adds the layer of profundity that I was looking for to carry off the two-ages-staring-at-each-other angle. Love him so much.”
The Where Are Your Kids Tonight? video – featuring both CMAT and John – is a gentle homage to the oft-overlooked clip for Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson’s ‘I Know Him So Well’, only with bigger hair and a smaller budget.
CMAT’s new album, the 12-track ‘Crazymad, For Me’ – out via AWAL Recordings on October 13 – is a “an abstract break-up album – about what happens when you are still angry about something that happened 10 years ago”. It’s also a concept record of sorts – involving time travel, Belle Epoque Paris and a woman who may or may not be CMAT in the future.
Watch the video for ‘Where Are Your Kids Tonight?’ below:
