Rufus Wainwright Sparks Uproar After Altering ‘O Canada’ at World Series
So, here’s what’s got everyone talking right now — singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright caused quite a stir during Game 5 of the World Series in Los Angeles. The Montreal-born artist was chosen to perform “O Canada” before the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers, but his rendition didn’t exactly go as expected.
Instead of singing the traditional line “in all of us command,” Wainwright switched it up to “that only us command.” The change seemed to be a subtle jab at recent political comments by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who had suggested that Canada might as well become America’s “51st state.” But that little lyrical twist didn’t go unnoticed — and not in a good way.
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Fans immediately took to social media to voice their frustration, saying the anthem shouldn’t be used as a political statement. Many Canadians expressed disappointment that their national song had been altered yet again, especially since this was the second time in the same World Series that “O Canada” became a topic of controversy. Just two games earlier, singer JP Saxe had changed the lyric “Our home and native land” to “Our home on native land,” which some saw as a gesture toward Indigenous recognition — but others found disrespectful.
So, when Wainwright took the field for Game 5, people were already on edge. Wearing a simple navy blazer and jeans, he began to sing — but the performance quickly went downhill. Not only did he modify the lyrics, but he also appeared to stumble through parts of both the English and French verses. Fans watching in the stadium and at home reacted in real time, posting everything from confused comments to outright ridicule. One viewer wrote, “Why do they always have to screw up our anthem?” while another joked, “Flag on the play — Rufus doesn’t know the French words!”
It’s not like Wainwright is new to the spotlight. He’s a three-time Grammy nominee with eleven studio albums to his name, including Release the Stars, which hit the Billboard charts back in 2007. His most recent album, Folkocracy (2023), earned critical praise even if it didn’t break global sales records. But none of that seemed to matter in the heat of this World Series moment.
Between Saxe’s earlier revision and Wainwright’s lyrical change, Canadians are feeling frustrated — as if their anthem has become a stage for personal messages rather than a shared national moment. As one editorial put it bluntly, “O Canada isn’t your personal soapbox.”
Now, all eyes are on Game 6, which will be played in Toronto on Halloween. But one thing’s for sure — whoever sings “O Canada” next will have to deliver a flawless, controversy-free performance to win back the crowd.
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