Toronto R&B artist Jully Black has made waves on social media after a memorable rendition of “O Canada” at the NBA All-Star Game. However, it’s not because of her distinctive soulful sounds, emotionally laden middle section, unusual melody, or triumphal conclusion.
No, it’s because Black opened the national anthem by singing “our home on Native land” rather than “our home and native land”. Check it out below.
Watch Jully Black sing “O Canada” at the NBA All-Star Game.
Fans often refer to Black as Canada’s Queen of R&B, which is how she was introduced at the NBA All-Star Game. In addition, CBC once included her on a list of the “25 Greatest Canadian Singers Ever”.
Over the course of her career, Black has spoken out for Indigenous rights many times. Prior to her performance at the NBA All-Star Game, she shared her thoughts on how people have different views on what words should be used in “O Canada”.
Ahead of her performance of the Canadian national anthem at the #2023nbaallstargame Jully Black reflects on the power of words pic.twitter.com/kWiSKgENje
— Kuture Life (@KutureLife) February 20, 2023
Meanwhile, Robert Stanley Weir’s 1908 version, which is enshrined in federal legislation, includes the words “our home and native land”.
Even though Black performed the song in Vivant Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah, Black’s choice to sing “on Native land” is now the talk of Canada. Below, see what some folks are saying on Twitter.
✊ Jully Black changed the words to the Canadian national anthem by singing 'Oh Canada, our home ON NATIVE LAND.' Beautiful! #NBAAllStar #LandAcknowledgement https://t.co/DmGMmEbS90
— Lakota Law Project (@lakotalaw) February 20, 2023
Jully Black gave a beautiful rendition on the Canadian anthem. And changed the lyrics from “our home and native land” to “our home on native land” to acknowledge the theft of Indigenous’ land. Props to @JullyBlack https://t.co/hfGGp7vHex
— Christophe (@chrismatic2000) February 20, 2023
Jully Black's stirring rendition of "O Canada" at last night's #NBAAllStar Game earned praise from fans and fellow artists.
But it was a subtle but subversive change to the anthem's lyrics that had people talking. https://t.co/WxjkCM5UXT
— Richie Assaly (@rdassaly) February 20, 2023
Did Jully Black just sing “Our home ON native land”?!?
— Kris Pangilinan (@KrisReports) February 20, 2023
ON Native Land. Thank you Jully Black 🇨🇦 for teaching America how to do it. Jewel my hottie from Alaska was great too 🇺🇸 #Native #Landackowledgement #Indigenouslivesmatter #Indian #AIM #aboriginal #aboriginalpeoples #FirstNations #indigenous always remember & #neverforget pic.twitter.com/9mUk39afBz
— Nicky Bullets (@nbrosef) February 20, 2023
Fair play Jully Black. If we can change the Canadian Anthem from "In all thy sons command" to "In all of us command" then it's no big stretch for truth changing "Our home and native land" to "Our home ON Native land". It's just more accurate. #NBAAllStar
— Drew (@JustRollinOn86) February 20, 2023
Some truth by artist Jully Black at tonight’s @NBA All-Star game. “Oh Canada, our home on native land” @JullyBlack pic.twitter.com/J7Io7tgmf3
— Christophe Elie (@ChristopheElie) February 20, 2023
Nelly Furtado had a Native American flute player to help her perform🇨🇦 national anthem at the #NBAAllStar game, which later she mentioned about her reason behind it was we were on native land & now Jully Black takes a step further here. How come we don’t see this in other events? https://t.co/cm04NFfR0d
— …P.S.Grewal (@Grewal2P) February 20, 2023
There’s a Canadian playing in the All-Star Game. There’s a Canadian NBA team that’s represented in tonight’s game. Basketball was invented by a Canadian. And Jully Black is awesome. https://t.co/xvjWELrmHO
— Chris Walder (@WalderSports) February 20, 2023
There’s a Canadian playing in the All-Star Game. There’s a Canadian NBA team that’s represented in tonight’s game. Basketball was invented by a Canadian. And Jully Black is awesome. https://t.co/xvjWELrmHO
— Chris Walder (@WalderSports) February 20, 2023
Jully Black always been on point. https://t.co/QNUaJ6bcjD
— mark l. (@GizISO) February 20, 2023
Follow Pancouver editor Charlie Smith on Twitter @charliesmithvcr. Follow Pancouver on Twitter @PancouverMedia.
