Nezza, a rising singer, dancer, and social media personality, sparked nationwide debate Saturday night when she delivered a rendition of the U.S. national anthem in Spanish at a Los Angeles Dodgers home game.
The unexpected choice came despite, according to Nezza, the team’s instructions not to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” in any language other than English, and now the spotlight is firmly on the triple-threat performer.
Born Vanessa Hernandez, the 30-year-old is of Colombian and Dominican descent and proudly represents her Latin roots in both her art and public life. Originally from the Bay Area, Nezza moved to Los Angeles to pursue her entertainment career, and she has been steadily building a name for herself ever since.
She first launched her YouTube channel in 2009, which has since grown to nearly 400,000 subscribers. Nezza shares not only original music but also vlogs, and dance videos. Her official music career took off in 2018, and she has since released two albums and numerous songs in both English and Spanish.
But last weekend, it wasn’t just her music that captured attention. It was her decision to make a statement in the wake of frequent immigration enforcement raids and subsequent protests in the Los Angeles area.
Nezza’s Spanish-language performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” titled “El Pendón Estrellado,” quickly went viral and stirred both praise and criticism. In a follow-up TikTok video posted on Sunday, Nezza addressed the backlash and explained her decision, saying it was an intentional act of solidarity.
“I just felt like I needed to do it. Para mi gente,” she said in the emotional clip, which has already surpassed five million views. “Safe to say I’m never allowed in that stadium ever again.”
Nezza also shared her solidarity with the Latinx community through an Instagram post that showed the moment she was allegedly told not to perform the song in Spanish, followed by her moment of defiance.
The caption reads: “Para mi gente 
I stand with you. Yesterday was easily one of the scariest days of my life. I sang “El Pendon 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. Stay safe. Stay strong. I love you.”
Her performance coincided with nationwide protests against ICE raids, adding to the political and cultural impact of her gesture. Some questioned the appropriateness of singing the anthem in another language.
“I don’t feel like they should,” Dodgers fan Yvonne Esquivel told KTLA’s Jennifer McGraw on Saturday. “Keep sports, sports.”
“You know, you have differences on both sides, and I think they should remain neutral,” said another fan, Walter Jones.
Spanish versions of the U.S. national anthem have long existed. Though Francis Scott Key penned the original lyrics in 1814, it wasn’t until 1945 that an official Spanish translation was commissioned under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Good Neighbor policy. The version selected was by Peruvian-American composer and lyricist Clotilde Arias.
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