Canadian pop singer Alessia Cara experienced a widely criticized moment on Saturday when she appeared to forget the lyrics to her country's national anthem during a pre-game ceremony in Montreal.
The incident occurred before a soccer friendly match between Canada and Peru, which Canada won 2-0. As Cara began singing "O Canada," she faltered, sang out of tune, and eventually began giggling on the microphone, unable to continue.
The stadium's sound system attempted to intervene by playing the instrumental version of the anthem, but the disruption had already drawn the attention of the crowd and viewers.
Social media platforms quickly lit up with reactions. Some viewers expressed frustration, with one user commenting, "A task that school children manage daily is too complex for her. What an embarrassment." Another user suggested, "She should get her passport and citizenship stripped. This is a MAJOR FAUX PAS!!! SHAME!"
Conversely, some online commentators pointed to the 2018 change to the anthem's lyrics, which made it gender-neutral, suggesting the revised wording may have made it more difficult to remember. One user defended Cara, stating, "It can happen. Stress can be a big factor sometimes. At the end, the whole stadium started chanting the anthem, it was beautiful."
Cara, a Grammy Award winner born in Mississauga, Ontario, has not yet publicly addressed the incident. Her social media accounts on X and Instagram have remained silent since the performance.
On the field, the Canadian men's national soccer team secured a 2-0 victory over Peru, with Jacob Shaffelburg scoring both goals.