Nezza, whose whole title is Vanessa Hernández, went on TikTok after the match, clipping along video of a Dodgers agent telling her the song may be sung in English and her performing the song in Spanish.
“Watch the Dodgers tell me I can’t sing the Spanish ‘Star Spangled Banner ’ that Roosevelt literally commissioned in 1945,” showing her smile fading as the representative tells her, “We are going to be singing it in English today. I don’t know if that was communicated. ”
The video then cuts to her singing the anthem in Spanish with the words, “So I did it anyway. ”
In a follow-up post, she said she was “shaken up ” and “emotional” and that she did not think she would be told not to sing it in Spanish, especially in Los Angeles. She got emotional and said that she could not sing it in English that day, “out of all days, ” referring to the anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement riots that started in Los Angeles and the No Kings protests taking place nationwide.
She ended the video by saying, “Safe to say I am never allowed in that stadium ever again. ” However, a team official told the Los Angeles Times there were no consequences being perpetrated and that she is welcome back at the stadium.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS ACCEPT INVITATION TO VISIT WHITE HOUSE
Nezza explained in her TikTok video that her parents are immigrants and longtime American citizens who, she said, she can’t imagine being taken from her. She stated while crying that everything she does is “out of love ” and “good energy ” and that she was proud of herself for her actions.
The Dodgers have largely been silent about the ICE raids and subsequent protests. Manager Dave Roberts said on Friday that he has n’t “dug enough and can’t speak intelligently on it” but added last Monday that he hopes they are a “positive distraction ” right now.
Nezza is not the first singer to face backlash in performing the national anthem. Last October, Loomis dropped an F-bomb during her rendition at the Free & Equal Elections Presidential Debate. She apologized the next day.
