A Canadian vocalist has spoken out after her performance of the American national anthem at a major NFL fixture sparked a wave of criticism from fans online.
Performance Sparks Online Fury
Prior to the Saturday night showdown between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Cassandra DiFruscio took centre stage. The 32-year-old delivered her rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner in the minutes leading up to kickoff.
DiFruscio, who now resides in Nashville, originally hails from Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario, Canada. While the live crowd in the stadium responded with significant cheers, a segment of fans online expressed outrage that a non-American was chosen for the patriotic duty on such a prominent platform.
Singer Breaks Her Silence
Several days after the performance, DiFruscio addressed the controversy in an interview with Canadian network CTV News. She acknowledged the subjective nature of anthem performances but remained undeterred by the backlash.
"I’m just focused on singing, and anthem performances can be emotional and subjective," she stated. "I’m definitely not the first person that people criticise for the anthem."
Displaying resilience, she added, "I am just excited to perform it more, to be honest. I am ready to keep going."
A Seasoned Anthem Performer
Despite the mixed online reception, DiFruscio is no stranger to high-pressure anthem slots. She began performing at her older brother's junior hockey games at the age of 14.
Her professional resume includes singing for several major Toronto sports franchises:
- MLB's Toronto Blue Jays
- NBA's Toronto Raptors
- NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs
She has also performed at various NBA playoff games. DiFruscio emphasised that the 49ers organisation were "extremely hospitable" and "really, really supportive" behind the scenes.
The game itself carried major playoff implications. Seattle's 13-3 victory secured them the No. 1 seed in the NFC, guaranteeing a bye week and homefield advantage throughout the postseason.
