SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH — Many are commending Canada’s Queen of R&B Jully Black for changing the lyrics of the national anthem at the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday.
The Toronto-native sang O’Canada ahead of the annual exhibition game and wowed the crowd with a subtle change to the lyrics in the first verse.
Black sang “O’Canada, our home ON native land,” instead of the actual lyrics of “O’Canada, our home AND native land.”
The singer said she spoke to Indigenous friends before her performance to get their thoughts about changing the lyrics.
“We’ve been singing this anthem since Kindergarten. And now in the last three years especially with Indigenous rights and what’s going on in our country and the history and the learning, I too am learning. So I reached out to some Indigenous friends to say first of all ‘How do you feel about me doing this anthem?’ And I got some feedback. And I really dissected the lyrics to really sing it with intention because I know it like my name. Now I’m singing it in a whole other meaningful way,” Black told TSN’s Kayla Grey in an interview.
Many Canadians are praising Black for her rendition of the anthem on social media:
Meanwhile, some feel she should have sung the traditional lyrics.
Completely disrespectful of @JullyBlack to sing the Canadian national anthem incorrectly. When you are given the privilege to represent your country, you do so with respect or you don’t do it at all. She should never be asked to sing the anthem again publicly.
— Paul from Coquitlam (@PaulCoquitlam) February 20, 2023
The NBA All-Star weekend was held in Salt Lake City, Utah and is an annual three-day event showcasing some of the league’s best players.
