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National Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- National Post
Nezza's Spanish anthem at Dodger Stadium ignites debate over team's immigrant support
As fans removed their caps and stood for the national anthem Saturday night at Dodger Stadium, they were met with a surprising rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner.' Latin pop and R&B singer Nezza stood in front of the crowd, closed her eyes and belted the song out — in Spanish. Article content Her 90-second rendition, and a behind-the-scenes video she shared on social media of team representatives discouraging it beforehand, quickly went viral and have become a flashpoint for Dodgers fans frustrated by the team's lack of vocal support for immigrant communities impacted by the deportation raids across the U.S., including numerous neighborhoods in and around Los Angeles. Article content Article content Article content Protests over the arrests made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have captured international attention and mostly been held in areas a short drive from Dodger Stadium. Article content Nezza says even after the discouragement from the team's representative, she hadn't yet decided whether to sing in English or Spanish until she walked out onto the field and saw the stands filled with Latino families in Dodger blue. Article content 'This is my moment to show everyone that I am with them that we have a voice and with everything that's happening it's not OK. I'm super proud that I did it. No regrets,' the 30-year-old singer told The Associated Press. Article content The team has yet to make a statement on the record regarding the arrests and raids. Article content Manager Dave Roberts has said he doesn't know enough about the issue to comment, but Dodgers hitter Kike Hernandez separately spoke out on Instagram over the weekend. Article content 'I am saddened and infuriated by what's happening in our country and our city,' he said in a post in English and Spanish. 'I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights.' Article content Article content In her viral TikTok video, Nezza is shown speaking with an off-camera Dodgers employee who tells her, 'We are going to do the song in English today, so I'm not sure if that wasn't transferred or if that wasn't relayed.' She's received an outpouring of support since Saturday from celebrities like Jason Mraz, Kehlani, Chiquis, Ava DuVernay, The Kid Mero, Becky G and more. Article content 'Don't you dare turn your backs on us now. We, as a city, have embraced you and need your support more than ever. Think about who fills up your stadium,' said Becky G, addressing the Dodgers in her Instagram story. Article content The Spanish-language version Nezza sang, 'El Pendon Estrellado,' is the official translation of the national anthem and was commissioned in 1945 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt from Peruvian-American composer Clotilde Arias. Article content Nezza says her manager immediately received a call from an unidentified Dodgers employee saying their clients were not welcome at the stadium again, but the baseball team said in a statement to the AP: 'There were no consequences or hard feelings from the Dodgers regarding her performance. She was not asked to leave. We would be happy to have her back.'
The Independent
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Nezza's Spanish anthem at Dodger Stadium ignites debate over team's immigrant support
As fans removed their caps and stood for the national anthem Saturday night at Dodger Stadium, they were met with a surprising rendition of 'The Star-Spangled Banner.' Latin pop and R&B singer Nezza stood in front of the crowd, closed her eyes and belted the song out — in Spanish. Her 90-second rendition, and a behind-the-scenes video she shared on social media of team representatives discouraging it beforehand, quickly went viral and have become a flashpoint for Dodgers fans frustrated by the team's lack of vocal support for immigrant communities impacted by the deportation raids across the U.S., including numerous neighborhoods in and around Los Angeles. Protests over the arrests made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have captured international attention and mostly been held in areas a short drive from Dodger Stadium. Nezza says even after the discouragement from the team's representative, she hadn't yet decided whether to sing in English or Spanish until she walked out onto the field and saw the stands filled with Latino families in Dodger blue. 'This is my moment to show everyone that I am with them that we have a voice and with everything that's happening it's not OK. I'm super proud that I did it. No regrets,' the 30-year-old singer told The Associated Press. The team has yet to make a statement on the record regarding the arrests and raids. Manager Dave Roberts has said he doesn't know enough about the issue to comment, but Dodgers hitter Kiké Hernández separately spoke out on Instagram over the weekend. 'I am saddened and infuriated by what's happening in our country and our city,' he said in a post in English and Spanish. 'I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights.' The response to Nezza's anthem performance In her viral TikTok video, Nezza is shown speaking with an off-camera Dodgers employee who tells her, 'We are going to do the song in English today, so I'm not sure if that wasn't transferred or if that wasn't relayed.' She's received an outpouring of support since Saturday from celebrities like Jason Mraz, Kehlani, Chiquis, Ava DuVernay, The Kid Mero, Becky G and more. 'Don't you dare turn your backs on us now. We, as a city, have embraced you and need your support more than ever. Think about who fills up your stadium,' said Becky G, addressing the Dodgers in her Instagram story. The Spanish-language version Nezza sang, 'El Pendón Estrellado,' is the official translation of the national anthem and was commissioned in 1945 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt from Peruvian-American composer Clotilde Arias. Nezza says her manager immediately received a call from an unidentified Dodgers employee saying their clients were not welcome at the stadium again, but the baseball team said in a statement to the AP: 'There were no consequences or hard feelings from the Dodgers regarding her performance. She was not asked to leave. We would be happy to have her back.' The Dodgers' history with Latinos and immigrants in Los Angeles Dodger Stadium has a long history with immigrant communities in Los Angeles. Many proudly wear Dodger blue jerseys and merchandise as an extension of their love for the city — the team still sells special 'Los Dodgers' jerseys on its official website — and attend the stadium's multiple heritage nights honoring Mexican, Salvadoran, Guatemalan and more immigrant communities, including those from outside Latin America. The Dodgers' fan base is heavily Latino, and the team is among the select few to offer Spanish-language television broadcasts. The franchise is also frequently praised for its history seeking out diverse talent, including Jackie Robinson (baseball's first Black player), Fernando Valenzuela (a Mexican icon who transcended baseball) and Chan Ho Park (the first Korean in the big leagues). But the relationship is not without tension, with some Mexican American and Latino residents resentful of the team's forceful eviction of Latino families in the 1950s to build Dodger Stadium in what is popularly known as Chavez Ravine. Fans have since called for a boycott online, while others say they'd be willing to return if the team spoke out. 'We love you. You've been so much a big part of our lives. … We would like to understand that you love us just the same. Or are we just money to you?' asked Power 106's Brown Bag Mornings host Letty Peniche in an Instagram video. Los Angeles resident Alora Murray is considering a temporary boycott. 'Nobody is messing around about this,' said Murray. 'Los Angeles is built upon the Dodgers. For them to not kind of be with us, I feel like us boycotting or not going to games will send that message.' Fans cite inconsistencies about the Dodgers' political stances Many in the Latino community have been sharing videos of stadium security confronting fans who have political signs or messages on their clothing. Longtime Dodger fan Emeli Avalos says she doesn't believe the team is apolitical since they released a statement to condemn Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. 'If it's really about staying out of politics, then why do they support that? But when people down the street from them are getting taken, kidnapped, why do they stay silent?' she said. Avalos attended Pride Night on June 13 wearing a shirt that said 'Abolish ICE' on the front and 'FDT' — an acronym for an expletive directed at President Donald Trump — on the back. In a popular TikTok video, Avalos is seen speaking with Dodgers security. She says she thought she was going to be asked to leave but was instead asked to cover the back of her shirt with her jersey. 'They told me, 'The front is fine, you just gotta cover the back,'' said Avalos, who said she will not be returning to the stadium. Another video of a fan being confronted by security for holding a banner with 'ICE' crossed out circulated online over the weekend, furthering criticism of the team. When asked about the incidents, a Dodgers spokesperson pointed to the team's stadium guidelines, which state the team 'does not allow signs or banners of any kind.' Also prohibited is any attire the Dodgers deem — at their sole discretion — to be obscene, profane, vulgar, indecent, violent, threatening, abusive or prejudiced against any individual or group. Nezza does not think she will return to the stadium, despite the Dodgers' statement, but says she hopes her performance will inspire others to use their voice and speak out. 'It's just shown me like how much power there is in the Latin community,' she said. 'We gotta be the voice right now.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Singer Nezza performs national anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium after team axed it
Rising R&B singer Nezza is going viral for her choice to sing the "Star Spangled Banner" in Spanish at a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball game, apparently despite the team's request not to. In a TikTok the singer posted on Sunday, June 15, Nezza can be seen sporting a Dominican Republic jersey as an unseen woman, presumably with the Dodgers front office, confirms the national anthem should be sung in English. While being told this, Nezza says, "Oh," as her face immediately falls, before the video cuts to the 30-year-old singing in Spanish in Dodger Stadium. "watch the dodgers tell me i can't sing the spanish star spangled banner that Roosevelt literally commissioned in 1945," Nezza wrote in the onscreen text. "so i did anyway." Celebrities tell all about aging, marriage and Beyoncé in these 10 bingeable memoirs Midway through the clip of Nezza singing, she appears to cover her face out of emotion, before gathering herself to finish out the anthem, to cheers. She captioned the TikTok: "para mi gente (for my people) i stand with you." The video has been seen over seven million times. In a separate TikTok later that day, Nezza explained the official "Star Spangled Banner" translation in Spanish was commissioned by President Franklin Roosevelt to build a better relationship with Latin America. "Because of this, I didn't think I would be met with any sort of 'no.' Especially because we're in LA. And with everything happening." USA TODAY has reached out to the Dodgers and Nezza's rep for comment. Nezza is likely referring to nationwide protests over the federal government's immigration enforcement, which first erupted in Los Angeles earlier this month. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is carrying out a directive from President Donald Trump to find immigrants living in the United States without legal status. His goal is to deport 1 million undocumented immigrants annually. This has sparked a series of sometimes-violent protests in the greater Los Angeles area. "I just could not believe when she walked in and told me no. But I just felt like I needed to do it," Nezza continued. "And I'm proud of myself for doing that today." The singer said her parents are immigrants who have been documented for years, but she "just can't imagine them being ripped away from me, even at this age, let alone a little kid. Like, what are we doing?" As ICE touts arrests, chaotic scenes emerge amid immigration crackdown Nezza shared thanks for the support she's received, before adding with a laugh that it's "safe to say I'm never allowed in that stadium ever again." A team official told the Los Angeles Times that there were no hard feelings over the move and that Nezza would be welcome back in the stadium in the future. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nezza sings national anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium
USA Today
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
¿Por qué Nezza cantó el himno nacional en español en el juego de los Dodgers? 'necesitaba hacerlo'
The feels are real when a student choir sings the Star Spangled Banner 3,000 students gathered to sing the Star-Spangled Banner at the Hyatt Regency in Louisville during the Kentucky Music Educators Conference.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nezza sings national anthem in Spanish at Dodgers as protest against immigration raids
Singer Vanessa Hernández says she chose to sing the Spanish version of the US national anthem at Dodger Stadium on Saturday as a protest against recent immigration raids. Hernández, who performs under the name Nezza, says she was warned by a member of the Dodgers staff before the team's game against the San Francisco Giants to perform the anthem in English. Related: NWSL's Angel City wear 'Immigrant City Football Club' shirts after Los Angeles raids After her performance Hernández posted a video to TikTok, with the caption 'Watch the Dodgers tell me I can't sing the Spanish Star Spangled Banner that Roosevelt literally commissioned in 1945 – so I did it anyway.' The video shows an apparent conversation with the Dodgers staff member. 'We are going to do the song in English today, so I don't know if that wasn't translated – er, communicated,' the employee says. However, Hernández went on to sing El Pendón Estrellado, which the US government commissioned as the Spanish version of the Star-Spangled Banner in 1945. She explained her decision in another social media video. 'I didn't think I would be met with any sort of 'No,' especially because we're in LA with everything happening,' said Hernández whose parents are from the Dominican Republic. 'I've sang the national anthem many times in my life, but today I could not. I'm sorry ... I just could not believe, when she walked in and told me 'No,' but I just felt like I needed to do it, para mi gente [for my people]. 'My parents are immigrants. They've been citizens my whole life at this point, they got documented really early, but I just can't imagine them being ripped away from me, even at this age, let alone a little kid. Like, what are we doing?' The Dodgers have yet to comment on the incident but The Athletic reports the club did not punish her for her decision. Hernández was not the only person over the weekend to make a statement on the immigration raids in LA. Angel City, LA's NWSL team, wore shirts that proclaimed themselves 'Immigrant City Football Club' before Saturday night's game against the North Carolina Courage.
