'Ask yourself why you're so angry': Why Canadian singer Jully Black changed 'O Canada' — and would do even more

'I think the whole thing needs to be looked at. From beginning to end,' the singer says about the age-old anthem


Christine Jean-Baptiste
·Contributing Reporter
Tue, February 28, 2023 

Canadian R&B singer Jully Black's alteration of the Canadian national anthem at the NBA All-Star game has sparked debate from both sides of the spectrum over the last week.

Instead of "Our home and native land," the singer opted for "Our home on native land," a subtle but powerful move that honoured Canada's Indigenous Peoples.

"It always felt strange saying 'Our', it felt like I was in some sort of ownership. It just didn't feel right," the Jamaican-Canadian artist told Yahoo News Canada.

After consulting some of her Indigenous loved ones and practising her rendition on the court, the singer knew the lyric swap was necessary.

Aside from the Super Bowl, this is the largest global sporting event that includes the Canadian anthem. So for me, I was like, what better way to move the dial and stand with the Indigenous community.Jully Black, Canadian R&B singer

Black said she doesn't want to dishonour the anthem, but the current version is a dishonour to the progress we've made as a country in recognizing Indigenous Peoples.

"There can be no reconciliation without truth. They tie the two words together, truth and reconciliation," she added.

The lyric swap evoked intense reactions online. Many felt it was about time for an inclusive change.

Some felt offended, claiming the rendition to be "disrespectful."

Criticism for Black has been abound - she's even received disturbing emails from fellow Canadians claiming they were disgusted by her tweak. Black has a few through-provoking questions for the critics.

Ask yourself why you're so angry? Could it be that you are sitting in guilt? Could it be that you are so set in your ways and that you potentially have, you know, fear around equality? Could you feel that you are actually the superior race? Ask yourself why.Jully Black, Canadian R&B singer

The Juno award-winning performer says that every artist is an activist but that it doesn't take an activist "to realize that there's something in the atmosphere saying, change needs to happen now."

In 2018, another of Canada's national anthem lyrics was changed from "In all thy sons command" to "In all of us command" to make it gender-neutral. Black says there are more edits to be made.

"For me, I realized that they went a little too far into the anthem without going through each line to see what needed to be changed first," she told Yahoo News Canada. "So, I wouldn't say that only one word should be changed. I think the whole thing needs to be looked at. From beginning to end."

'This is what I’m getting as a BORN and raised Canadian': Jully Black shares racist email in response to 'O Canada' lyric change

#HateRunsDeep: More than a week after Jully Black's celebrated anthem change, audiences are sending her outraged reactions

Elianna Lev
Mon, February 27, 2023 

More than a week after Jully Black changed one word while performing 'O Canada' at an All Stars Game in Utah, the Canadian musician is sharing the harmful feedback she’s still receiving.

Black changed the words from “Our home and native land” to “Our home on native land” while singing Canada’s national anthem at an NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 19th.

She took to Twitter on Monday to post a racist, expletive-laden email sent to her. The message accuses her of not being originally from Canada and goes on to make outlandish, ignorant and blatantly racist remarks.

The postscript of the message bizarrely clarifies that the author of the email isn’t white or born in Canada, while continuing on with appalling racist language.

Warning: The language and contents of this email may be triggering and disturbing for readers.

“This is what I’m getting as a BORN and raised Canadian,” Black wrote along with screenshots of the email, and the hashtag #HateRunsDeep.

In the replies, many people expressed their outrages, and offered continued support for the singer.

While the move to change the words of the anthem received a flood of reaction, Black has stayed by her decision, telling the Canadian Press, "I wouldn't have sung it if I didn't believe it should be this."

This wasn’t the first time the national anthem has been changed. In 2018, the lyric “in all thy sons command” officially changed to “in all of us command” to make it gender-neutral.