Latest news with #VanessaHernández
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Dodgers told me not to sing the national anthem in Spanish. I knew in my heart that I had to.
Normally, the performance of the national anthem at a baseball game isn't major news. When the pop singer Nezza arrived at the Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles on June 14, she was excited to perform the song in front of the crowd, then grab a hot dog and a Michelada and chill in the stands to watch the game. What happened instead knocked the wind out of her — and later made headlines nationwide. Given the audience demographics at the game and the ICE raids that have rocked Los Angeles, Nezza (whose full name is Vanessa Hernández) planned to perform "The Star-Spangled Banner" in Spanish to uplift the Latino community and honor the protests on "No Kings Day." She even practiced the version commissioned by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945 to ensure that her performance was respectful. But as fans later saw in a viral video, the team told her on the day of her performance that it had other plans. She'd need to perform the anthem in English. Devastated, Nezza was faced with a choice: follow orders or raise her voice. She chose the latter. In doing so, she hopes she has inspired others to stand up and speak out. In an interview with Yahoo's Laura Bradley, the singer shares why she made the decision she did — and why she doesn't consider it an act of rebellion but a gesture of love. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Until that day, I'd never been involved in anything political. I'd never broken a rule in my life. But when a Dodgers rep told me I'd be singing the national anthem in English, I couldn't breathe. I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. Immediately, I was clenching my teeth from crying. About a month prior, my manager had asked if I wanted to perform the anthem at the Dodgers game. I was already scheduled to sing for the A's, which felt really cool because they're one of my hometown teams. So I agreed to perform on June 14. At that time, I was unaware of what would lead up to that day in Los Angeles: ICE raids, protests and, eventually, the National Guard. Both of my parents are immigrants who are now U.S. citizens. Watching those videos we've seen of families being ripped apart is gut-wrenching. I can't imagine my parents getting ripped away from me. Where would I be today had they not come over here and had that struggle in the beginning? I'd planned to sing in Spanglish at the Dodgers game until my friend pointed out a few days before that I would be performing on "No Kings Day." Eighty percent of the people in the stands would be Latino. There was no way I could go out there and sing the anthem fully in English on that day of all days. So I stayed up all night for two days straight learning the whole version of 'El Pendón Estrellado,' the Spanish-language version of the national anthem that President Franklin D. Roosevelt commissioned in 1945. It wasn't meant to be disrespectful because the lyrics and the storyline are near the same, the melodies are the same. It was supposed to be an uplifting gesture for my community. I thought I was fully welcome to do this. In our emails leading up to my performance, no one with the Dodgers had told me I couldn't sing in Spanish. When I'd suggested I sing the national anthem in both languages, they only said I would have just 90 seconds — not enough time to sing two songs. No one previously ever said, 'We'd prefer you to do it in English.' It could have been such an easy, simple email. But obviously now, knowing everything I do, I know they were avoiding the topic. When they said I had to sing in English, I just honestly couldn't believe it. Everyone could see it in my face. It was pure shock. The only reason we captured that moment on video is because my boyfriend was filming my sound check, and he happened to still be standing there recording when the Dodgers rep walked in. When I told her I wasn't comfortable performing in English, she walked away to give us some private time to discuss. I bawled my eyes out. There was no way I was doing it in English. I asked my manager, 'Do I leave? Do I walk out?' He supported me to do whatever I needed to do to support my community. My boyfriend agreed, but he also told me something else: You're gonna regret it for the rest of your life if you don't do this today. He was right. So I sucked in the tears. When the rep came back about an hour before my performance, she made sure I sang the whole song in English. Then, I think I spent literally 45 minutes in the bathroom stall — shaking, freaking out, just trying to gain the confidence to do what I needed to do. Because again, none of this is me. It's not my personality at all. I hate getting into trouble. It's my worst fear. When I got onto the field and sang in Spanish, I didn't feel rebellious. I was singing from a place of heartbreak, from a place of oppression. I don't know how I got myself to do it, because I've never done anything like that in my life. I just felt this fire from being told no. But it was a different kind of no. It wasn't like your parents saying, 'No, you can't have a cookie.' This was about something deep and personal, not just to me, but to most of the crowd in the stands that day. What reality are we living in where kids are being ripped away from their parents? When some people watch the video I posted of my Dodgers experience on TikTok, they say, 'Oh, she's crying because she got banned.' (Nezza has said the Dodgers told her she was not welcome back at the stadium following her performance. The Dodgers have stated publicly that Nezza is not banned from the stadium.) That's not it. I'm crying because I'm imagining my parents being ripped away from me at such a young age. At the end of the day, I was fighting for my parents. Everything I have in life is because of them. When we had nothing — like, nothing — somehow they were pulling pennies for my dance classes. It was already hard enough to come over here with nothing, and getting papers was really hard. I want them not to worry about anything anymore. As much as I really, truly love being on a stage and songwriting and doing it all, it's for them. It's to give my mom her dream car, her dream house. Because they deserve it. They've worked so hard. As I was singing, I didn't know what the reaction was going to be because my in-ear monitors were in. I did not expect anything from this. Of course, my friends and family were there and calling and supportive, but so were celebrities like Kehlani, Becky G, George Lopez and [Los Angeles City] Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez. It was just as aggressive a response from the right side, but the love outweighed the hate. Morals are morals, and empathy is empathy. I have a lot of friends who are on the right side of the aisle politically, but they also realize that what's happening right now is wrong. Human beings are being caged up like animals, and that's not what God intended for us. I've loved seeing the people that I idolize stand up for what's right, and they're not getting backlash, and I hope that other artists feel like they can raise their voices too. A lot of families are undocumented, so I get the fear of not wanting to speak up. But I hope that younger generations really acknowledge that this country was built on immigrants, aka our parents. We've got to stand up right now. Looking at what I did and the outcome, I hope they see that the Latin community has our back, period. I know everyone who has had my back will also have their back.
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
"Almost s**t my pants": Singer Nezza reflects on anxiety and pride about singing national anthem in Spanish at Dodgers game
Image Source: Getty So many people were referencing during the moment when singer Vanessa Hernández, aka Nezza, sang the U.S. national anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium, against the Dodgers' initial request. However, one poignant moment during a recent Jimmy Kimmel Live! After the performance, Nezza said that "I almost s**t my pants" , but she is very grateful to have represented her Latino culture on a national stage. Singing the national anthem in Spanish was Nezza's show of solidarity When protests broke out in LA against ICE raids and at the height of the anti-immigrant \ agenda of the Trump Administration, Nezza felt the need to support her fellow human beings. The Dodgers had previously told the 32-year-old singer that the song was only to be sung in English, but she requested permission to sing the song in English and Spanish. They did not disregard her idea; they simply said that her time on stage was limited to 90 seconds. Three days earlier, overlapping with the 'No Kings' protest marches, the nezza performed half the set in full-on, ballad-style español, including the 1945 translated anthem 'El Pendón Estrellado.' She showed up to the stadium beaming, confident that she was going to make a beautiful moment for her people. Even after being told again backstage, the anthem should be in English, she did it anyway. She sat there and thought to herself, "Something came over me," she remembered, 'The mama bear in me came out.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo Nezza receives support after Dodgers anthem controversy Nezza received some backlash for performing the national anthem in Spanish at the Dodgers event, but after negative criticism started ringing through social media, a wave of support from fellow fans, athletes, and public figures flowed through, including Dodgers infielder Kiké Hernández, who came to her defense. Also Read: Los Angeles Dodgers spark outrage after blocking Donald Trump-backed ICE agents from stadium access Contrary to what had been speculated, the Dodgers' office said Nezza is not banned from performing at the stadium. While she was never banned, the organization welcomed her comments and reiterated its support of Los Angeles' diverse communities. Nezza, who referred to herself as a rule-follower, said she was terrified but grateful for what turned out to be a potent, emotional, and historic performance. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here . Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
CNN
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Singer Nezza explains why she sang US National Anthem in Spanish at Dodgers game; says team objected
Amid the ongoing protests across the country over the weekend and continued frustrations in Los Angeles over US Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, one singer decided to take a stand with her performance at a Dodgers game. Nezza, whose full name is Vanessa Hernández, performed the song Saturday. She said she was first planning on singing the US National Anthem in Spanglish, but, with the ongoing immigration raids, she decided to do the song in Spanish only. She says a team employee told her not to. That didn't deter her, and she performed the song in Spanish anyway. 'I didn't really see an issue with it and I wanted people to know that I'm with them and I'm standing by them,' Nezza told CNN on Tuesday. An unidentified person, who Nezza says is a Dodgers employee, can be heard on a video saying to the singer, 'We are going to do the song in English today, so I'm not sure if that wasn't relayed.' That video, which Nezza shared on TikTok, now has over 12 million views. About two weeks before the game, Nezza said that she and her team sent an email to the Dodgers team asking to sing the National Anthem in both languages. 'As everything started to unfold and we got closer to the day, the raids – like everything, it was like a couple days before that – I was like, actually, I'm going to do it fully in Spanish,' Nezza said. In response, Nezza said, the Dodgers sent a PDF file that went through the song guidelines, but they never said no to her request. In the email to the team, Nezza said her managers included the history of the song and why she felt it was important to sing that version. The version of the song is titled 'El Pendón Estrellado' and was written by Clotilde Arias after the Division of Cultural Cooperation of the Department of State asked for submissions for translations of the 'Star Spangled Banner' in 1945 in Spanish and Portuguese, according to the Smithsonian. It was all part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's 'Good Neighbor Policy' toward Latin America. Following her performance, the Dodgers employee – who she will not name – called Nezza's manager almost immediately and told them to never call or email them again, and that their client was not welcome back, according to the singer. The Dodgers have not responded to any of CNN's questions, but said in a statement that there were 'no consequences or hard feelings' regarding Nezza's performance. Nezza said she hasn't been contacted by the team and doesn't plan on attending the stadium again. 'I don't feel welcome to come back,' she said. Her parents are immigrants from Colombia and the Dominican Republic, who Nezza says became US citizens when she was younger. Her parents are 'overjoyed' with her performance, the singer said. Nezza added that many of the team's fans are Latino, saying, 'The lyrics are the same, I was still singing that I'm a proud American.' Her performance took place the same day that demonstrators filled streets across the country for the 'No Kings' protest and as frustrations in Los Angeles continued because of ICE raids that took place within the past few weeks. While the team hasn't outwardly spoken on the ongoing frustrations of the ongoing immigration crackdowns ICE raids that have been happening in the city, star player Dodgers player Kike Hernández, a native of Puerto Rico, showed his support for Los Angeles in an Instagram post. 'I am saddened and infuriated by what's happening in our country and our city,' Hernández said in part. 'Los Angeles and Dodger fans have welcomed me, supported me and shown me nothing but kindness and love.' 'This is my second home. And I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart,' He added. 'ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights.'
CNN
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Singer Nezza explains why she sang US National Anthem in Spanish at Dodgers game; says team objected
Amid the ongoing protests across the country over the weekend and continued frustrations in Los Angeles over US Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, one singer decided to take a stand with her performance at a Dodgers game. Nezza, whose full name is Vanessa Hernández, performed the song Saturday. She said she was first planning on singing the US National Anthem in Spanglish, but, with the ongoing immigration raids, she decided to do the song in Spanish only. She says a team employee told her not to. That didn't deter her, and she performed the song in Spanish anyway. 'I didn't really see an issue with it and I wanted people to know that I'm with them and I'm standing by them,' Nezza told CNN on Tuesday. An unidentified person, who Nezza says is a Dodgers employee, can be heard on a video saying to the singer, 'We are going to do the song in English today, so I'm not sure if that wasn't relayed.' That video, which Nezza shared on TikTok, now has over 12 million views. About two weeks before the game, Nezza said that she and her team sent an email to the Dodgers team asking to sing the National Anthem in both languages. 'As everything started to unfold and we got closer to the day, the raids – like everything, it was like a couple days before that – I was like, actually, I'm going to do it fully in Spanish,' Nezza said. In response, Nezza said, the Dodgers sent a PDF file that went through the song guidelines, but they never said no to her request. In the email to the team, Nezza said her managers included the history of the song and why she felt it was important to sing that version. The version of the song is titled 'El Pendón Estrellado' and was written by Clotilde Arias after the Division of Cultural Cooperation of the Department of State asked for submissions for translations of the 'Star Spangled Banner' in 1945 in Spanish and Portuguese, according to the Smithsonian. It was all part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's 'Good Neighbor Policy' toward Latin America. Following her performance, the Dodgers employee – who she will not name – called Nezza's manager almost immediately and told them to never call or email them again, and that their client was not welcome back, according to the singer. The Dodgers have not responded to any of CNN's questions, but said in a statement that there were 'no consequences or hard feelings' regarding Nezza's performance. Nezza said she hasn't been contacted by the team and doesn't plan on attending the stadium again. 'I don't feel welcome to come back,' she said. Her parents are immigrants from Colombia and the Dominican Republic, who Nezza says became US citizens when she was younger. Her parents are 'overjoyed' with her performance, the singer said. Nezza added that many of the team's fans are Latino, saying, 'The lyrics are the same, I was still singing that I'm a proud American.' Her performance took place the same day that demonstrators filled streets across the country for the 'No Kings' protest and as frustrations in Los Angeles continued because of ICE raids that took place within the past few weeks. While the team hasn't outwardly spoken on the ongoing frustrations of the ongoing immigration crackdowns ICE raids that have been happening in the city, star player Dodgers player Kike Hernández, a native of Puerto Rico, showed his support for Los Angeles in an Instagram post. 'I am saddened and infuriated by what's happening in our country and our city,' Hernández said in part. 'Los Angeles and Dodger fans have welcomed me, supported me and shown me nothing but kindness and love.' 'This is my second home. And I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart,' He added. 'ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights.'
Time of India
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Singer Nezza's battle for belonging: Why her national anthem at Dodgers game sparked controversy
Singer Nezza breaks silence: Was she really banned after controversial performance? (Getty Images) Los Angeles-based singer Vanessa Hernández, known professionally as Nezza, recently made headlines after performing the national anthem in Spanish at a Dodgers game—a move that has sparked both admiration and backlash. What began as an artistic expression of unity quickly escalated into a cultural flashpoint, highlighting tensions around language, representation, and immigrant identity in one of America's most diverse cities. Nezza talks about the national anthem performance controversy Nezza performed the Spanish version of 'The Star-Spangled Banner'—El Pendón Estrellado, a translation officially commissioned by the Roosevelt administration in 1945—before a Dodgers matchup against the San Francisco Giants. The performance was powerful, heartfelt, and deeply intentional. In the days leading up to the game, immigration raids in Los Angeles had stirred widespread fear and protests, and Nezza says her choice to sing in Spanish was a gesture 'para mi gente'—for her people. What followed, however, was not the celebration of unity she'd hoped for. — libsoftiktok (@libsoftiktok) In a TikTok video that has now gone viral with over 12 million views, Nezza showed part of an exchange where she was told to sing only in English. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 임플란트 29만원 이벤트 임플란트 더 알아보기 Undo According to her, Dodgers officials never explicitly said 'no' ahead of time. 'Weeks before, we asked if I could do both languages. They just sent over a PDF with timing guidelines,' she explained in an interview on Power 106. Given a 90-second window, Nezza and her team initially planned a bilingual rendition. But as the political climate intensified, she made a last-minute decision: she would sing the entire anthem in Spanish. The reaction, she says, was swift and punitive. 'Ten seconds after I finished, they called and said, 'Don't email us. Don't call us ever again. Your clients are never welcome here again,'' she recounted. 'That feels like a ban.' Adding to the confusion, a Dodgers spokesperson later released a public statement contradicting this account. 'She was not asked to leave. We would be happy to have her back,' the team said. But for Nezza, the damage had been done. 'That's not the message I received,' she told NBC4. 'Regardless if I'm welcome back, I don't feel welcome to come back.' Her performance—intended as a tribute to Latino heritage and a call for inclusion—felt to her like a moment of cultural dismissal. 'It just felt like such a stab to the Latino people when they said no,' Nezza said. 'And it hit me to my core.' Despite the controversy, Nezza has received an outpouring of support from fans and the broader Latin community. 'Seeing the Latin community just come together in this moment and be like, 'We're with you,' has been so crazy and loving,' she said. Even Dodgers star Kiké Hernández joined the conversation. On Instagram, he wrote, 'All people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity, and their human rights. I stand with you #CityOfImmigrants.' Nezza insists that her performance wasn't meant to be rebellious or disrespectful. 'The lyrics are the same,' she said. 'I was still singing that I'm a proud American. I really just wanted to make the Latin community feel included.' Whether or not Nezza will ever return to Dodger Stadium remains unclear. But her bold act—and the uproar that followed—has reignited an essential conversation about language, identity, and the true meaning of patriotism in modern America. Also Read: Rafael Devers leaves Boston drama behind, prioritizes Giants over personal position preference
