By Andrew Breaker
On November 1st, 2025, Dilayna Blackhorse from Siksika Nation had the honour ofsinging the Blackfoot National Anthem at the Calgary Wranglers Indigenous Night hockey game.
Dilayna’s parents are Grant and Deatrice Blackhorse. Her late grandparents are Hubertand Ramonda Lowhorn, as well as Phyllis Blackhorse and Thomas Yellow Sun. Dilayna has a long history with her passion for singing. At the age of 7, she first began performing for her family and older sisters just for fun. By age 9, she took a leap by entering the Run as One talent show, and by age 11, she had the honour of singing for the Governor General of Canada.
From ages 12 to 16, she continued to sing occasionally — mainly at funerals, in church, and for her family. When she turned 17, an exciting opportunity arose when Richard Running Rabbit and Tyler White invited her to sing the Blackfoot National Anthem for the Calgary Hitmen hockey team. She continued singing for the Hitmen for about two years.
At 19, she was privileged to sing the Blackfoot National Anthem for the Calgary Flames during their first annual Indigenous Celebration Night. More recently, she has been invited to sing at various events, including performances for the Calgary Stampeders and the Calgary Wranglers for their Indigenous Nights.
Dilayna credits the Blackfoot National Anthem to Herman Yellow Old Woman, and she first learned the anthem in Blackfoot at Crowfoot Elementary in kindergarten back in 2009 under the guidance of Lucy Wright.
“If singing is your passion and you’re thinking about following in my footsteps, my best advice is quite simple: never give up. Success doesn’t happen overnight; it comes from hard work and sincere prayers to creator for guidance. Always speak and act from the heart, never forget your roots, and approach everything with love and kindness. The world could always use more of that. Remember, with dedication and a genuine spirit, success is achievable in all aspects of your life.”
Dilayna Blackhorse on if someone is inspired by her singing journey.
