Nezza Defies Instructions to Sing National Anthem in Spanish at Dodgers Game: “I Stand With My People”
Latin pop artist Nezza made headlines over the weekend—not for a viral song or dance routine, but for a bold and emotional performance that defied instructions. On Saturday, June 14, the Colombian-Dominican singer was invited to sing the U.S. national anthem at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles before the Dodgers faced off against the San Francisco Giants. But just before her moment on the field, she was reportedly told not to sing it in Spanish. Despite the warning, Nezza followed through with her original plan, delivering a powerful rendition of “El Pendón Estrellado”—the official Spanish translation of The Star-Spangled Banner.
The moment has since gone viral on social media, with Nezza sharing her side of the story in a series of emotional posts. In one video, an off-camera voice can be heard saying, “We are gonna do the song in English today. I’m not sure if that wasn’t relayed.” Her face visibly drops, capturing a mix of frustration and heartbreak. But what followed was anything but defeat—Nezza took the field and sang the final line of the anthem in Spanish, her voice trembling with emotion.
“Para mi gente,” she wrote in the caption on Instagram. “I stand with you. Yesterday was easily one of the scariest days of my life. I sang ‘El Pendón Estrellado,’ the OFFICIAL Spanish star-spangled banner (commissioned by President Roosevelt) at the Dodgers game after being told I couldn’t. And I’m so proud that I did.”
The singer, whose full name is Vanessa Hernández, explained more in a follow-up TikTok video, visibly emotional with red, teary eyes. She shared her heartbreak at being told “no” moments before the performance and her determination to still represent her community. “I didn’t think I would be met with any sort of ‘no,’ especially because we’re in L.A.,” she said, noting the city’s large and vibrant Latino population. “I just felt like I needed to do it.”
Nezza also reminded fans of the historical legitimacy of her decision. El Pendón Estrellado was officially translated and commissioned by the U.S. government in 1945 as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “Good Neighbor Policy” to promote stronger relations with Latin America. In her eyes, singing it in Spanish wasn’t an act of defiance—it was a tribute to a legacy and a culture that often gets overlooked.
The moment was deeply personal for Nezza. As the daughter of immigrants who became U.S. citizens early in her life, she expressed fear and frustration over the continued targeting of undocumented immigrants and families by ICE. “I just can’t imagine my parents being ripped away from me. Even at this age, let alone as a little kid,” she said. “Everything I do is out of love and good energy.”
Nezza is set to release her debut full-length album later this year—but she’s already given her fans a powerful message: to stand up for what you believe in, even when your voice shakes.