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When singer-songwriter Nezza stepped onto the field at Dodger Stadium to perform the national anthem, she knew exactly what she was about to do and that it might get her in some serious hot water.
Instead of the traditional English version of The Star-Spangled Banner, Nezza, whose real name is Vanessa Hernandez, made the bold decision to sing it entirely in Spanish. It was a gutsy move, considering the Dodgers had already told her not to.
© FilmMagicA Performance With Purpose
The 30-year-old Bay Area native tells Variety that performing the anthem in Spanish wasn't about stirring controversy. In fact, for her, it was about honoring the community, especially on a day when protests around the country were highlighting the treatment of Latinos in America.
"I looked around the stands and saw so many Latino faces," Nezza says. "I was like, how am I not gonna do this today, of all days? I truly think God entered my body and gave me the courage to do it — like, five seconds before." That courage turned the moment into one of the most talked-about anthems in recent MLB history.
© Getty ImagesHow It Happened
Nezza wasn't new to performing national anthems; she had sung them at ballparks before, including a recent game for the Oakland A's. But this time felt different. She'd spent the month leading up to the Dodgers game considering her options.
The Spanish version she wanted to sing wasn't some casual translation; President Franklin D. Roosevelt officially commissioned it in the 1940s as part of the U.S. "Good Neighbor" policy.
© Getty ImagesHer team contacted the Dodgers weeks before the game, asking if she could perform both versions—after all, when Canadian teams play in the U.S., both anthems are performed. But instead of a clear yes or no, the response was a PDF with timing guidelines: 90 seconds, no mention of language.
"In the email, I also included that the (Spanish-language) version I wanted to sing was the official version commissioned by President Roosevelt. So it wasn't to be disrespectful because the lyrics are the same; they're just in a different language. And all that we were met with in return was an email with a PDF with guidelines of how long I had. They could have sent an email being like, 'No, we want you to do it in English," she said, adding: "They kind of avoided the question, and they only met us with, "Hey, you have a 90-second window, because of television, blah, blah." I was like, "Okay." So my manager and I were like, "Well, maybe I can just do it in Spanglish. If I only have 90 seconds, let me just mix the lyrics," she told Variety.
Nezza and her manager read between the lines. They briefly considered a bilingual version, but in the end, Nezza went with her gut. "I truly think God was with me in that moment," she says. "It gave me the courage to just go for it."
The Dodgers' Reaction
According to a Dodgers spokesperson, there are "no hard feelings" toward Nezza. "She was not asked to leave," the team says. "We would be happy to have her back."
But behind the scenes, things sound a little more complicated. Nezza claims a Dodgers rep told her afterward that she shouldn't contact them again about performing, and some in the organization expressed concerns about breaking long-standing MLB rules around anthem performances.
© Getty ImagesAfter all, this marked the first time the anthem had ever been performed entirely in Spanish at an MLB ballpark. And the league is wary of opening the door to future reinterpretations.
The Internet Reacts
As you'd expect, in 2025, the internet had thoughts, some supportive, some not so much. Nezza says the backlash included some commenters telling her to "go back to Mexico" — despite the fact that she's of Colombian and Dominican descent and was born to U.S. citizens in California.
But she also received an overwhelming wave of support, especially from fellow artists. Becky G posted and praised the video. George Lopez shared it and sent kind words. Kehlani, another Bay Area artist, reposted it on her stories. Jason Mraz even left a sweet comment on her TikTok (which, for Nezza, was a full-circle moment — she sang "I'm Yours" at her first childhood talent show).
"It's been beautiful to see the Latin community band together and lift me up," Nezza says. "I've never broken a rule in my life — I can't even cut in line," she laughs. "But this felt bigger than me. I wanted to support my community in this moment." And if she had the chance? She'd do it again.
