Air Canada flight attendant shares Mohawk culture with pop star Rihanna

An Air Canada Express flight attendant got a thrill last week when she gifted pop superstar Rihanna a beaded lanyard from her Mohawk community south of Montreal.

Lily Dailleboust says the encounter happened during a June 1 flight from Toronto to Montreal when she approached Rihanna’s bodyguard and asked if she could give the singer a present.

The flight attendant says Rihanna accepted, and she gave her a beaded key chain lanyard from a store in her community of Kahnawake.

She says she felt an instant connection with the singer, who then offered to take photos and sign autographs with the crew. 

The two filmed a video together in which Rihanna thanks Dailleboust for the present and asks how to say ‘thank you’ in Mohawk.

The flight attendant says she’s used to seeing celebrities on her flights but that meeting Rihanna stands out as a career highlight so far.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2026.

By Morgan Lowrie | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.