A Canadian Pop Sensation's Super Bowl Shout-Out Sparks a National Uproar!
When a beloved artist from your home country seemingly pledges allegiance to a rival, it's bound to cause a stir. This is exactly what happened when Canadian popstar Tate McRae found herself at the center of a national debate after appearing in a promotional advertisement for the Winter Olympics, enthusiastically cheering on Team USA.
At just 22 years old, McRae, who hails from Alberta, Canada, shared a video on her Instagram account. In it, she's seen conversing with an owl on a snowy mountain, discussing NBC's upcoming sporting events. She excitedly mentions her plans to "get to Milan for an amazing opening ceremony to meet Team USA," followed by a weekend of "America’s best skating for gold and Lindsey Vonn’s epic comeback." She even caps it off with a mention of heading "back to the states for the big game, Super Bowl LX."
But here's where it gets controversial... For a proud Canadian, openly championing the American team, especially with such enthusiasm, didn't sit well with many of her compatriots. The internet, as it often does, lit up with reactions.
One user on social media, Made in Canada, directly questioned, "Team USA. Aren’t you team Canada @tatemcrae?" Another fan expressed their dismay, writing, "‘Meet team USA’. Tate my Canadian princess you need to stand up...embrace ur Albertan roots." The sentiment was echoed by a second individual who commented, "The absolute ick every Canadian just felt. In 2026… what were you and your team thinking?" A third fan, while professing their love for the singer, lamented, "Girl I love you but you’re Canadian though? What about us lol." The confusion was palpable, with another user simply asking, "Girl you’re Canadian pls what is this." The backlash was so significant that some even sarcastically referred to her as "The very American Tate McRae."
And this is the part most people miss... McRae, seemingly aware of the storm she had created, later posted a heartwarming childhood photo of herself clutching a Canadian flag, accompanied by the caption, "...y’all know I’m Canada down." This gesture was an attempt to reassure her Canadian fans of her continued allegiance to her homeland.
It's worth noting the fierce rivalry that often exists between these two nations, particularly in sports like ice hockey. A hypothetical knockout match between the USA and Canada in ice hockey would undoubtedly be a blockbuster event.
Looking at the broader Olympic picture, the USA holds the second-highest medal count in Winter Olympics history, trailing only Norway. Canada is not far behind, ranking fifth overall. The Milano Cortina Winter Olympics are set to commence this week, with the opening ceremony scheduled for Saturday morning in Milan's San Siro Stadium.
The opening ceremony promises to be a star-studded affair, featuring international artists like five-time Grammy Award-winner Mariah Carey, Golden Globe winner Laura Pausini, and the renowned Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.
On the Australian front, reigning moguls gold medallist Jakara Anthony and fellow moguls star Matt Graham have been appointed as Australia’s flag-bearers for the Games.
However, the Games haven't been without their hiccups. The curling event experienced a chaotic start this week, with a power outage occurring less than 10 minutes after it began. Curling was one of the initial events to kick off ahead of the official opening ceremony. The power failure, possibly exacerbated by heavy snow, led to a commentator jokingly remarking that "someone had gone to put money in the meter." The commentator further elaborated, "Not a great start for the organisers. Play has been paused because the screens have gone off. The lights on the ice are still mostly on but everything else is pretty much gone, certainly for us in the broadcast area – but lights are flicking back into the monitors."
In other news, American skier Lindsey Vonn has expressed her determination to compete in her Olympic comeback, despite suffering an ACL rupture just a week before the Games.
What are your thoughts on Tate McRae's Olympic ad? Do you think it was a genuine mistake, or a calculated move? Let us know in the comments below!
