Toronto Maple Leafs anthem singer Natalie Morris stopped by Leafs Morning Take with Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill on Friday, to discuss how she’s preparing for the home opener Saturday night. Morris is once again going to serenade the home crowd throughout the season.
With Kyle Dubas, Sidney Crosby, Michael Bunting and the rest of the Pittsburgh Penguins in town for Hockey Night in Canada, the building will be buzzing, and Morris will have the pleasure of setting the tone of the evening with her renditions of the American and Canadian national anthems.
Morris discussed her excitement for another Leafs’ season, and how even though she’s an old pro and how she prepares for each game’s performance:
Alberga: How pumped are you for game one of the season, all eyes will be on you Saturday night?
Morris: I mean, for a split second right? Super pumped, every season opener is just always so electric, like energy, so it’s just always an exciting time.
Rosehill: Natalie, how did you go about coming across this opportunity? It’s probably not the biggest gig you’ll ever do in your life, but to be out there in front of all those people for the Toronto Maple Leafs, in Toronto, for their home games is pretty special. How’d you come across the opportunity?
Morris: They were having auditions when Martina (Ortiz Luis), they were just having open auditions. So, I auditioned and I got it. Pretty much fair and square, and I’m very grateful.
Alberga: We’re in the mecca of hockey here in Toronto, at least we like to think that way, what’s it like singing in front of that many people?
Morris: So, I try to zone out because it can get very intimidating. Just knowing that all of those people are listening to you, and if you make a mistake, it’s like, it could be disastrous. So, I just kind of focus on one person in each section at a time. And, just imagine that I’m only signing to them.
Rosehill: I’m not trying to jinx you, or get in your head or anything, you seem to do it smoothly so far, no doubt. But, the anthem is kind of famous for you know, botching it, or freezing, or not remembering the words. Or, just kind of having one of those moments. Is the anthem something you’ve sang before? Do you have to kind of, when you got the gig, did you go over the words to the song to try and really ingrain it in your head? Or, has that ever been in your mind, as far as like, I got remember what the bloody words are to these songs?
Morris: For sure. Every single game I remind myself – you’ve sang this before, you know the words. But before doing the audition, I didn’t know all the words to Star Spangle Banner, which I’m Canadian so you can’t fault me for that. But, obviously I learned it, and then just like, you just kind of keep myself remembering the words. Like, I usually go through it right before I go on. It’s a part of like my pregame ritual. Just making sure I remember the words because it’s easy to forget. People write their own songs and forget the words to their own songs. It’s not my own song, it’s very possible, so I try to be diligent.
For more from on Morris’ excitement for another season, and Alberga and Rosehill previewing Saturday’s matchup against Dubas and the Penguins, watch the full episode here.
