NFL's French national anthem performer Nina Tonji alters words to La Marseillaise, sparking outrage in France
Fox News • • sports
Key Points:
- French singer Nina Tonji altered the lyrics of the national anthem La Marseillaise before an NFL game in Paris, changing "impure blood" to "united blood," which sparked significant online backlash in France.
- The original lyric referenced enemies and traitors during the French Revolution, while Tonji's change aimed to promote national unity and inclusion of immigrants, a sensitive topic amid recent civil unrest in France.
- The controversy is heightened by recent protests involving immigrants and political tensions, leading many French people to view the alteration as disrespectful to their national anthem.
- Tonji, originally from Montreal, Canada, faced widespread criticism on social media, with many calling the change a scandal and demanding respect for the anthem's traditional wording.
- The NFL, which oversees anthem performances at its events, is advised to require artists to perform songs as written to avoid similar controversies and maintain public relations.
