'It's surreal': Kingston, Ont. teen to sing the national anthem at the Raptors game Wednesday
A Kingston, Ont. teenager is getting another chance to live her dream as she is set to sing the national anthem before the crowd at a Toronto Raptors game.
Kyra Daniel, 13, has so far performed twice, impressing the crowd as she performed the Canadian and U.S. national anthems in front of thousands at Scotiabank Arena in April and November.
“It’s surreal, being able to walk out on the court. I was definitely shaking. I had this moment where I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is happening,’” she says of her performance.
On Wednesday, Daniel will be back to sing the anthems before the Raptors’ game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
It’s impressive at any age, but at just 13-years-old, the Kingston teen says she’s been told by the Raptors that she’s one of the youngest to sing at centre court.
“It’s just a great feeling,” says Daniel.
While this moment is a big one, Daniel is no stranger to the stage, having toured with Mini-Pop Kids, a young performing group that covers pop songs.
She also released her own music video this week for her single "Words Mean Something."
“I have a dream in life to be singer, songwriter, and business woman. That’s what I always tell people,” she says. “It’s my inspiration and motivation.”
Still, performing the national anthem is a dream come true for this Raptors fan.
“The games that I’ve seen, all the adults who are doing it, I’ve been like, ‘Dad, I want to be there. I want to sing in front of 20,000 people,’” she says. “And here I am and it’s so crazy!”
A bonus to booking the job is being near her favourite players. She says the team has been nothing but kind.
“One of my favourite players is Fred VanVleet, so that was really cool to see him,” she says. “It’s just the whole team. I love the whole team.”
The only thing she says could make this magic moment even better is the possibility of seeing Canadian rapper Drake.
“Imagine he heard me sing? I can’t even fathom that,” she says.
With at least two more performances lined up, she’s hopeful, but with or without the superstar in the stands, she’s ready to wow the crowd again.
“The atmosphere in Toronto in that arena is so amazing and it’s such a fun night,” she says “And I’m always with my dad. It’s so nice.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Being harassed at work? What to consider when deciding what to do next
If you've been the victim of workplace harassment, it can be difficult to feel you're not alone - and even more difficult to know where to go with a complaint.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Half of Canadians support TikTok ban, with U.S. concerns 'trickling' north: poll
A new poll indicates 51 per cent of Canadians support banning the social media app TikTok, after a U.S. bill aiming to do just that passed in the House of Representatives.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.