Brings to mind the same degree of respect that a certain Somalian congresswoman enjoys for this nation. Apologies for choking on that. After a contentious performance at Dodger Stadium, singer Nezza disobeys the Dodgers’ orders, plays the national anthem in Spanish, and receives death threats. She performed during ICE protests in Los Angeles while sporting a Dominican Republic shirt.
Defying Instructions at Dodger Stadium
Vanessa Hernández, who performs under the name Nezza, has become the center of a national controversy after singing “El Pendón Estrellado,” the Spanish version of the Star-Spangled Banner, at a recent Dodgers game. According to reports, a Dodgers employee specifically instructed Nezza to perform the anthem in English prior to her performance. In a TikTok video later posted by the singer, the exchange was captured with the employee clearly stating, “We are going to do the song in English today, so I’m not sure if that wasn’t relayed.”
Despite these instructions, Nezza proceeded to sing the anthem in Spanish while wearing a Dominican Republic shirt. Her decision appears to have been influenced by ongoing ICE operations and protests in Los Angeles, as she later indicated in statements to the media. The performance quickly went viral on social media, with reactions sharply divided along political and cultural lines.
NEW: Dodgers National Anthem singer sings in Spanish after being told not to, starts crying during a “story time” while talking about how great of a person she is.
‘Baby Nezza’ said she decided to sing in Spanish because of the ICE raids.
“Everything I do is out of love. Like,… pic.twitter.com/VHjGA31tZn
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 15, 2025
Backlash and Death Threats
The fallout from Nezza’s performance has been severe, with the singer reporting she has received numerous death threats. While many Americans consider the national anthem a sacred patriotic symbol that should be performed traditionally, others have defended her artistic choice as a representation of America’s diversity. When asked about the threatening messages, Nezza appeared to downplay their seriousness.
“That’s just the internet. That’s going to come with something like that. Anything that involves politics is going to include a death threat here and there,” Nezza told media outlets.
Nezza has insisted that the Spanish lyrics are identical in meaning to the English version and that her performance was not meant as a sign of disrespect. She has described herself as a proud American who believes advocating for change is part of patriotism. The timing of her performance, which coincided with “No Kings” protests against a military parade in Washington, D.C., on President Trump’s birthday, has added another layer of controversy to the incident.
Respect Vs. Disrespect on display: Yesterday in Mexico for NASCAR Cup, kids from that country sang the USA National Anthem in English respectfully and perfectly, meanwhile a USA-born "influencer" Nezza sang it in Spanish at Dodgers Stadium to protest ICE and USA. What a contrast. pic.twitter.com/KIsn942qbZ
— Stix | Jason Stix Buckley | Stix Style (@StixStyle) June 16, 2025
Conflicting Claims About Stadium Ban
Adding to the controversy, Nezza has claimed she was banned from Dodger Stadium following the incident. However, a Dodgers spokesman has publicly denied implementing any such restrictions against the singer. This discrepancy has only fueled further debate about the situation and the team’s official position on the matter. Nezza has expressed feeling unwelcome at the stadium regardless of any formal ban.
Nezza has also denied staging the incident for publicity. According to her explanation, the video that circulated was recorded by her boyfriend during a sound check and was not part of a premeditated plan to generate controversy. Despite her clarifications, the incident has sparked intense debate about patriotism, freedom of expression, and the proper way to honor national symbols in an increasingly diverse America.