Singer Nezza performed national anthem at Dodgers game in Spanish in anti-ICE protest — after team told her to sing only in English
Singer and social media personality Nezza broke a rule in Dodger Stadium on Saturday.
Ahead of the Dodgers' eventual 11-5 win over the Giants, she sang the national anthem in Spanish, but according to a video later posted by the performer, she sang it in her first language against the wishes of the organization.
Nezza, whose full name is Vanessa Hernández, posted a video on TikTok where viewers can hear an unidentified Dodgers employee telling her before the performance that 'we are going to do the song in English today, so I'm not sure if that wasn't relayed.'
Advertisement
The video later cuts to her singing the national anthem with the text 'So I did it anyway' displayed.
4 The start to Nezza's TikTok that shows a Dodgers employee telling her to sing the national anthem in english on Saturday.
TikTok @babynezza
4 Nezza singing the national anthem in Spanish on Saturday at Dodgers Stadium.
TikTok @babynezza
Advertisement
Nezza later posted another TikTok video explaining the 'emotional' situation with the Dodgers.
She explained the version of the national anthem that she sang was commissioned in 1945 by the U.S. State Department under President Franklin D. Roosevelt in order to establish a better relationship with Latin Americans.
The 30-year-old wanted to sing it amid the recent raids by ICE in Los Angeles.
Advertisement
'I didn't think I would be met with any sort of no, especially because we're in LA and with everything happening,' she said amid tears. 'And I've sang the national anthem many times in my life. But today out of all days, I could not. I'm sorry. I just could not believe when she [the Dodgers employee] walked in and told me 'no.' But I just felt like I needed to do it para mi gente [for my people].'
4 Nezza explains the story behind singing the national anthem in Spanish at Dodgers Stadium.
TikTok @babynezza
@babynezza
i love you guys stay safe out there ♬ original sound – nezz
'I'm proud of myself for doing that today,' Nezza added. 'Because my parents are immigrants and they've been citizens my whole life at this point.'
Advertisement
She went on to say that she could not imagine being ripped away from her parents at this age, and especially at a younger age.
The Dodgers did not put out a public comment on the incident.
However, a team official explained to the Los Angeles Times that there were no consequences for the franchise regarding the performance, and Nezza would be welcomed back in the future.
4 Nezza attends the 'Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning' Los Angeles Creators Screening at Paramount Pictures Studios on May 12, 2025, in Los Angeles, California.
Getty Images for Paramount Pictures
The organization has been rather quiet about the unrest going on in their city. Manager Dave Roberts has been asked about the situation a few times but hasn't offered much of an answer.
'I know that when you're having to bring people in and deport people, all the unrest, it's certainly unsettling for everyone,' he said, 'But I haven't dug enough and can't speak intelligently on it,' he said on Friday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
44 minutes ago
- Yahoo
After Singing ‘Star Spangled Banner' in Spanish at Dodgers Game in Spite of Being Warned Not To, Nezza Tearfully Says: ‘Today, Out of All Days… I Needed to Do It'
Latin-R&B singer Nezza made a stand at Saturday's Los Angeles Dodgers game, singing 'The Star Spangled Banner' in Spanish, even though she said she had been warned not to, going into the performance. A video posted by the singer on TikTok shows a Dodgers rep telling her the performance will need to be in English — cutting right to footage of the end of her National Anthem en espanol, which appears to be enthusiastically received in the ballpark. Nezza's original TikTok post about her Spanish-language rendering, which had more than 4 million views as of Sunday afternoon, was captioned: 'Watch the Dodgers tell me I can't sing the Spanish 'Star Spangled Banner that Roosevelt literally commissioned in 1945… So I did it anyway.' More from Variety Ingrid Andress Talks Frankly About the National Anthem That Made Her 'America's Punching Bag,' and Being 'Terrified' Before Her Joyful Do-Over: 'You Can't Mess It Up Twice' Los Angeles Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts Joins Ice Cube for 'It Was a Good Day' at World Series Championship Celebration World Series Game 5 Scores 18.6 Million Viewers for Fox Sports as Dodgers Clinch the Title; Most-Watched in Seven Years It includes a shot of the singer, who was wearing a Dominican Republic jersey, smiling before a friendly-sounding rep informs her, 'We are gonna do the song in English today. I'm not sure if that wasn't relayed.' Nezza's smile immediately evaporates upon hearing this, and the video cuts off before registering any verbal reply. In a subsequent, tearful TikTok post on Saturday night, Nezza said, 'Safe to say I'm never allowed in that stadium ever again.' On Sunday, though, the Dodgers suggested to the Los Angeles Times that there were no hard feelings, telling a reporter on background that 'there were no consequences from the club regarding the performance and that Nezza would be welcome back at the stadium in the future.' In her Saturday night video, Nezza — who is laughing at the start of the clip and wiping away tears by end — explained her intentions. 'Bear with me 'cause I'm still very shaken up and emotional,' she said, reiterating that her version is part of the government-authorized history of the anthem in the U.S. 'You can Google it, (but) I'll just read it to you really quick: 'It was officially commissioned in 1945 by the U.S. State Department as a part of President Franklin Roosevelt's good neighbor policy to foster a better relationship with Latin America.' She continued, 'Because of this, I didn't think I would be met with any sort of, like, no, especially because we're in L.A., and with everything happening. And I've sung the national anthem (in English) many times in my life, but … today out of all days I could not, I'm sorry. 'I just could not believe when she walked in and told me no. I just felt like I needed to do it. For anyone who's been following me for a while, you know everything I do is out of love,' she continued. 'And I am proud of myself for doing that today. Because my parents are immigrants and they've been citizens my whole life at this point. They got documented really early, but I just can't imagine them being ripped away from me, just even at this age, let alone (as) a little kid. What are we doing?' 'Anyways, sorry, this is a whole different side of me that y'all never see,' Nezza said, wiping her eyes with a tissue. 'But thank you for all the sweet messages. … Safe to say I'm never allowed in that stadium ever again. But I love you guys so much.' Most recently, Nezza sang an English version of 'The Star Spangled Banner' at an A's game in her native Bay Area on June 3, which may be where the Dodgers learned of her ability to nail the anthem. The singer-songwriter dancer is of Colombian-Dominican origin, and grew up in the Bay Area, graduating from Santa Clara High before moving to L.A. to pursue music. In October 2021, she released her debut EP, 'Club Solita.' She has recorded much of her music in English, although her most popular Spotify track, by far, is 'Corazon Frio.' She has been working on a debut album, preceded by a new single, 'Classy,' that came out June 6 on the Plush label. The Dodgers have been under fire in some quarters for not taking a stand on the ICE raids. L.A. Times sports columnist Dylan Hernández sparked controversy with a column bearing the headline 'Cowardly Dodgers remain silent as ICE raids terrorize their fans.' Wrote the columnist, 'The Dodgers boast that more than 40% of their fan base is Latino, but they can't even be bothered to offer the shaken community any words of comfort.' Although the extreme crackdown on immigrants has been wildly unpopular in the L.A. area, the Dodgers organization was never likely to speak up about it, given the team's historical determination to remain strictly apolitical. The team may have become further wary still after being criticized from all ends of the spectrum for its handling of a satirical drag squad being invited, uninvited and then re-invited to be among the honorees at a Pride night in 2023. Last week, as tensions flared in the city, team manager Dave Roberts said, 'I just hope that we can be a positive distraction for what people are going through in Los Angeles right now.' Later in the week he responded to a reporter's inquiry by saying that he had not 'dug enough and can't speak intelligently on it.' However, popular team member Kike Hernandez felt emboldened to post about the unrest on his Instagram page, in both Spanish and English. 'I may not be Born & Raised, but this city adopted me as one of their own,' he said. 'I am saddened and infuriated by what's happening in our country and our city. Los Angeles and Dodger fans have welcomed me, supported me and shown me nothing but kindness and love. This is my second home. And I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights.' He signed off with the hashtag '#CityOfImmigrants.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Shohei Ohtani Set to Make Dodgers Pitching Debut: Here's Where to Livestream the Baseball Game Online Free
Variety and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability subject to change. If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Shohei Ohtani is set to take to the mound Monday night for the first time since the Major League Baseball star signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers last year. Advertisement More from Variety The official Dodgers account on X confirmed the news Sunday night, posting that the Japanese superstar will be the starting pitcher for the first game in L.A.'s home series versus the San Diego Padres. A rare 'two-way player' — meaning he can both pitch and hit at a high level — Ohtani has yet to step on the rubber since signing with the Dodgers for the 2024 season. Now, he's set to be the starting pitcher Monday as L.A. faces off against San Diego. WATCH DODGERS VS. PADRES LIVE ON FUBO Game time for the Dodgers vs. Padres matchup is 7:10 p.m. PT, with Ohtani and the Boys in Blue hosting at home at Dodgers Stadium. Last-minute tickets to the game are still available as of this writing on sites like Stubhub and Vivid Seats (bonus: use our exclusive promo code VR30 to take $30 off your purchase at Advertisement FIND DODGERS VS. PADRES TICKETS ONLINE Want to watch the Dodgers vs. Padres game online? Ohtani's pitching debut is airing on MLB Extra Innings and Spectrum Sportsnet on TV, but you can also stream the Dodgers vs. Padres game online without cable. Fubo will carry a live feed of the baseball game beginning at 7 p.m. PT. GET: FUBO 7-DAY FREE TRIAL Fubo's streaming plans normally start at $84.99 per month but the streamer is offering a seven-day free trial for new subscribers that you can grab here. Use the free trial to livestream Ohtani's Dodgers pitching debut online for free. You can also watch the Padres vs. Dodgers online through DirecTV, which is another live TV streaming service with access to MLB Network. DirecTV includes MLB Network in its 'Choice,' 'Ultimate' and 'Premier' plans, with pricing starting from just $59.99 a month. But you can test out the service with a five-day free trial, and use it to stream the Dodgers game online free. Advertisement GET: DIRECTV STREAM 5-DAY FREE TRIAL Fans have been eagerly awaiting Ohtani's pitching debut with the Dodgers, and manager Dave Roberts had suggested that it was coming soon. Though Ohtani led L.A. to a World Series championship last year, the 30-year-old was kept off the mound and used solely as a designated hitter, with the Dodgers coaching staff preferring not to rush the right-hander back from elbow surgery in September 2023. But the team clearly feels that he is finally ready to throw again. The last time Ohtani pitched was in August 2023 when he was part of the Los Angeles Angels team. In five seasons with the Angels, Ohtani had a 38-19 win-loss record with a 3.01 ERA. Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Singer performs national anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium amid ICE protest tension
Singer and social media personality Nezza performed the national anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night, despite being told beforehand she was expected to sing it in English. 'So we are going to do it in English today. I'm not sure if that was relayed,' an official can be heard saying in a video Nezza posted on social media. Instead, she chose to sing the Star-Spangled Banner in Spanish — a version originally commissioned in 1945. In a video posted to TikTok, Nezza shared an emotional explanation: 'I just felt like I needed to do it. Para mi gente,' she said. 'Safe to say I'm never allowed in that stadium ever again.' The performance came during heightened tension in Los Angeles surrounding recent ICE activity, with some residents urging high-profile organizations, like the Dodgers, to speak out — and others urging them to stay silent. 'I don't feel like they should,' fan Yvonne Esquivel told KTLA's Jennifer McGraw. 'Keep sports, sports. And when it's a community action type of response, then let the community speak.' 'You know, you have differences on both sides, and I think they should remain neutral,' said another fan, Walter Jones. 'Everybody has an opinion, and I think personally, when it comes to sports, it's sports.' Others disagree. 'We are really disappointed that the Dodgers, given their influence in the city and their importance to the culture, haven't said anything publicly about the horrors that people are going through,' said Mike Hurst, a longtime fan. The team has not released an official statement regarding the protests or ICE raids but did clarify that fan misconduct will not be tolerated. During a recent game, a spectator was removed from the stands for holding an anti-ICE sign, prompting both boos and cheers from the crowd. Dodgers utility player Kiké Hernández addressed the issue on social media, writing: 'This is my second home, and I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights.' Manager Dave Roberts, when asked by the Los Angeles Times, said: 'I just hope that we can be a positive distraction for what people are going through in Los Angeles right now.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
