‘Representation Matters’
“I sang in Spanish because America’s story includes all of us,” singer says in statement to Rolling Stone
Nezza says she sang the national anthem in Spanish on Saturday at Dodger Stadium despite being asked by a Dodgers employee to sing it in English.
In a TikTok video the singer posted, an unidentified person off-camera whom Nezza said was a Dodgers employee is heard saying, “We are going to do the song in English today, so I’m not sure if that wasn’t relayed.”
@babynezza para mi gente ❤️ i stand with you
When the singer took to the field, she belted an emotional “El Pendón Estrellado” — the official Spanish version commissioned by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945. Following her performance, she posted the aforementioned video as well as another clip, where she explained that she was still shaken up and emotional over the experience. She added that “with everything happening,” she “felt like I needed to do it.”
On Saturday, the “No Kings” Day demonstrations were taking place in Los Angeles and in 2000 different locations around the country, protesting President Donald Trump. Trump deployed the National Guard and the Marines last week during protests in Los Angeles opposing aggressive raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It was also the night Trump held a very expensive military birthday parade.
“I had the honor of singing the national anthem at the Dodgers game in Los Angeles — but I chose to sing it in Spanish. Despite being told I couldn’t, I went forward anyway, because I believe representation matters,” she said in a statement to Rolling Stone. She added, ”For anyone clutching their pearls, it’s important to know: in 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt himself commissioned an official Spanish version of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ to honor and include Latin Americans. That version — ‘El Pendón Estrellado’ — tells the exact same story, word for word in meaning, and is set to the exact same melody. The heart of the anthem does not change with the language. So why was I told I couldn’t sing it? Make it make sense.
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“Today also happens to be ‘No Kings Day,’ a day of protest and reflection against injustice and exclusion,” she continued. I can’t think of a better day to stand for unity, pride, and visibility. I sang in Spanish because America’s story includes all of us.”
A rep for the Dodgers organization did not immediately return Rolling Stone’s request for comment. A team official told Los Angeles Times that Nezza is welcome back to the stadium and that the singer did not incur consequences from the organization over her performance.
