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WATCH: SA anthem at Bok game was te stadig

Voice Reporter|Published

NEE GIRL: Nicole Magolie

Social media was abuzz this weekend with rugby fans complaining and some complimenting the way the South African national anthem was sung at the start of the SA versus Italy Test match.

Cape Town-born singer Nicole Magolie, who lives in Italy, was responsible for the partial uproar.

Magolie sang the anthem at a really slow pace, making fans think they had attended a begrafnis rather than a sporting match.

Some fans came out guns blazing and said that she should have never been allowed to sing the anthem as it left them sad and depressed.

They said her rendition ranked the “third worst” after Ard Matthews and Ras Dumisani.

Others, however, praised the singer on her beautiful voice, note variation and pitch.

“#nicolemagolie should never be allowed to sing the South African Anthem. 3rd worst after Rasta and Art,” tweeted @itsybitsyyou.

While @ttoastmalone asked: “Why we singing the national anthem in -0,5x.”

On Facebook, one user wrote: “BREAKING NEWS, Nicole Magolie breaks world record for slowest anthem due to being paid by the second.”

Christiaan van der Walt wrote: “Beautiful voice, but absolutely wrecked our anthem! Was so painful to watch!”

Sanet van Rensburg commented: “What a disgrace and embarassment.”

After seeing the critique on social media, the singer defended herself against the trolls.

She said: “Hello from Milano airport... I found the live backing track a little slow... but I adapted and the evident and palpable emotion of the Springbok and the South African fans present positively overwhelmed me too.”