- Savannah Fynn says the attention she’s received has been overwhelming
- Revealed that she has also received a lot of criticism for her appearance
- He finds the criticism of singer Dylan Wright discouraging
Savannah Fynn turned heads while performing Welcome to Country at the State of Origin opener last month, but has since revealed not all the attention she received was positive.
Fynn spoke with a maturity well ahead of her years as she welcomed the country’s traditional owners in front of 80,000 football fans, before shouting ‘may the best team win’ while dressed in Blues kit.
The 22-year-old uni student’s speech was praised by many viewers, but Fynn says she also receives a lot of criticism.
“I was so afraid that I would stutter or mess up my words because I had never spoken in front of so many people before,” Fynn said. Constellation.
‘But when I was done, I felt a moment of relief. I ran straight to my grandma, obviously one of my oldest, and I gave her a big hug and hug.
“It’s definitely an overwhelming feeling to get all this attention. It’s not something I’m used to at all.
‘I’m a very quiet person, so this is a big change. Although it’s all positive, I find it difficult to accept compliments and I become a bit shy. I’m ready for it to subside a bit!’
‘As sad as it is, because I have a lighter skin tone, I have received a lot of hate for it.
Savannah Fynn (pictured) says she feels overwhelmed by all the attention she’s getting for opening for Welcome to Country at the Origin
Fynn says she’s also received her share of negative feedback from viewers
“Many people have chosen the way I look, the way I speak, even down to having blonde hair. My hair is actually dark, I just dyed it blonde.
‘I think people also get very confused about what Recognition and Welcome actually is. We’re not welcoming you to Australia; you’re clearly living here.
“We welcome you to the traditional owners of that land and recognize the traditional land. And as for comments about overuse, I think you should respect everyone’s opinion, even if you may not agree with it.
“As a First Nations person, I’m excited to see my culture embraced. But clearly, you can’t please everyone.”
Fynn revealed she received 500 follow requests on Instagram immediately after her Welcome to Country performance at Sydney’s Accor Stadium, but singer Dylan Wright was criticised for singing the national anthem that same night.
The 2024 Australian Idol winner delivered a stripped-back, guitar-tinged rendition of Advance Australia Fair, prompting a flurry of criticism online.
Fynn’s Welcome to Country was widely praised by footy fans that evening
The student said she was disgusted by the reaction of some people to singer Dylan Wright’s performance of the national anthem
Eagle-eyed viewers also noticed that blues player Jake Trbojevic also seemed to dislike what he was hearing, with his expression quickly becoming a meme on social media.
“I thought it was disgusting how people talked about poor Dylan,” Fynn said
“It was really disheartening and it hurt my heart.”