"I couldn't believe the Dodgers employee told me no" - Nezza reveals she was told not to sing US national anthem in Spanish before Giants clash in LA
The LA Dodgers are surrounded by controversy after singer and social media personality Nezza claimed she was allegedly told not to perform the national anthem in Spanish.
Nezza sang the national anthem ahead of the Dodgers' game against the San Francisco Giants on Saturday at Dodger Stadium. Amid the ongoing protest against ICE raids in LA, Nezza performed the Spanish version of the national anthem, commissioned in 1945 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
In a TikTok video on Sunday, Nezza revealed she performed the Spanish "Star-Spangled Banner" against the wishes of the organization.
“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. “And I’ve sung 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].”
Vanessa Hernández, known by her stage name, Nezza, said she is proud to represent her community amid the ongoing chaos against immigrants.
“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.”
While Nezza said she is unlikely to be allowed in the ballpark again, an official from the Dodgers confirmed that the organization is not taking any action against her and she is welcome at Dodger Stadium.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shrugged questions about LA protests
Despite the ongoing controversy in LA, teams and players continue to remain silent. While Dodgers utility star Kike Hernandez shared an Instagram post to show support for the immigrants, manager Dave Roberts seemingly shrugged off the question.
“I know that when you’re having to bring people in and deport people, all the unrest, it’s certainly unsettling for everyone,” Roberts said on Friday. “But I haven’t dug enough and can’t speak intelligently on it."
Following Nezza's performance, the Dodgers outplayed their division rivals to an 11-5 win, tying the series 1-1 and setting up an intense series decider for Sunday.