Singer responds after Americans questioned her Canadian nationality at NFL game

Cassandra DiFruscio, a Canadian who now lives in Tennessee, sang the U.S. national anthem at a San Francisco 49ers game and drew questions on social media about her nationality; she said the crowd at Levi's Stadium was supportive and she will continue performing.

Cassandra DiFruscio sang the U.S. national anthem at a San Francisco 49ers home game and some viewers on social media questioned why a Canadian was singing the anthem. DiFruscio, who grew up in Niagara-on-the-Lake and has lived in Tennessee for nearly a decade, said she does not take the comments personally. She reported strong, positive response in the stadium and kindness from the 49ers organization. The topic drew attention from other publications that noted the online reaction. What we know: - DiFruscio has performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" at professional sports events about 100 times. - The incident occurred at a 49ers home game against the Seattle Seahawks, after Craig Morgan performed "God Bless America." - DiFruscio identifies herself online as a "Canadian Nashvillian" and has lived in the U.S. for nearly 10 years. - Some social media users questioned her nationality while others in the stadium applauded and the 49ers reportedly treated her kindly. - International outlets reported on the social media response, and CTV News Toronto said it contacted the NFL and the San Francisco 49ers but did not receive a response. - DiFruscio said she frequently sings at sporting events in both Canada and the U.S., and that she often performs both national anthems at games involving Canadian teams. Summary: The immediate impact was a mix of online criticism and in-person support, while DiFruscio described the live experience as positive and said she is not letting the remarks change her focus. She is scheduled to perform anthems again for an away game with the Toronto Raptors, and further responses from the NFL or the 49ers were not provided to the reporting outlet. Undetermined at this time.