Screen grab of  Martina Ortiz-Luis singing the National Anthem of Canada. (CBC News)

Updated: 8:08 PM, July 2, 2018

Ottawa, Canada

Canada Day in the nation’s capital

By Ted Alcuitas

It was the first time the national anthem was sung at the annual Canada Day festivities with the newly added lyric, “in all of us command.” The words replace the line “in all thy sons command” to make the anthem gender neutral.

Martina Ortiz-Luis, who started singing at three ,is the official anthem singer at Maple Leafs’ hockey home games in Toronto for the past two seasons.

What she wore on Canada Day (Photo: CBC News)

At 12, she was the host of a program on Rogers TV called Music in My Hood. When she was 14, she flew to Manilla, the birthplace of her parents, to compete in the Philippines version of the hit TV show The Voice and made it to the sing-off round.

Ms. Ortiz-Luis sends chills down the spine of listeners when she hits the high notes of O Canada, and has been singing the new version at Leafs’ games for several months, according to one account.

But “Canada Day is special. It is a great day to celebrate the history and the successes of our amazing country. My parents decided to move here to have a better life. For me, I was born here. But I am so thankful that my parents made that decision,” said Ms. Ortiz-Luis.

Born to parents who immigrated from Manila, Philippines, Martina has grown up faster than most her age. By four years old, she had already performed in vocal competitions and at corporate events. As a child, she was enrolled at the Royal Conservatory of Music before moving to the Cardinal Carter Academy of the Arts, both in Toronto. As a pre-teen, she wrote and recorded World Vision’s charity Christmas song. At 12, she hosted a Rogers TV program called Music In My Hood. Last year, she starred in a production of Mary Poppins, playing the lead role of Jane Banks.

 

Martina Ortiz-Luis was singing at the age of three and at 16 was the first full-time anthem singer in the history of hockey’s biggest franchise, chosen from hundreds of hopefuls. (Photo: Martina Ortiz-Luis  website)

Vancouver, B.C.

Kimmortal raps Vancouver audience

 

Kim Villagante – ‘Kimmortal’ is a multi-faceted performer who raps, writes songs, poetry. (FB)

Kimmortal and Immigrant Lessons performed at yesterday’s Canada Day celebrations at Vancouver’s Granville Island.

 

Kimmortal performing at the first Pinoy Pride ‘Liberacion’ cultural show in Vancouver last month.(Photo: Chris Fil Can)