In the heart of Los Angeles, where tensions are running high amid growing protests against ICE raids, a bold act took center stage. Singer Nezza made headlines when she stepped onto the field ahead of the Dodgers-Giants game on Saturday. It wasn’t just to sing the national anthem, but to deliver it in Spanish. The powerful rendition was her personal tribute to the city’s immigrant communities amid the ongoing crackdowns.
However, while her performance struck a chord with many, it has also sparked backlash, drawing criticism from some corners. The result? A barrage of online hate and death threats is being served to her. Nezza has now opened up about the death threats she is receiving.
“The death threats are one thing, but that’s just the internet,” she said in an interview with TMZ. “I’m taking that as like that’s going to come with anything that involves politics. It’s going to involve a death threat here and there.”
Well, Nezza didn’t seem bothered by the backlash. She stood by her choice to sing the national anthem in Spanish and said she was proud of it. Moreover, she also acknowledged that some people called it disrespectful. She pushed back, explaining that the Spanish version has the same lyrics and meaning as the original English one written by Francis Scott Key back in 1814.
AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh
For her, it’s the same story, just in another language.
While Nezza is now on the receiving end of online hate and trolling for her act the Dodger stadium, she acknowledged how he got backing from Hollywood personalities. Yes, surprising or not, despite all the hate, Nezza has been flooded with support since Saturday. Big names like Jason Mraz, Kehlani, Chiquis, Ava DuVernay, The Kid Mero, Becky G, and plenty of others have backed her up, showing love for her bold move.
“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,” Becky G shared in her Instagram story.
In the middle of all the support and backlash, Nezza has surely made a powerful statement. And her protest continues, even beyond the Dodger Stadium.
Nezza’s protest goes beyond the Dodgers
Nezza first made waves over the weekend when she sang the US national anthem in Spanish before the Dodgers game. But guess what, she wasn’t done just with that. On Wednesday, she did it again, this time at the Los Angeles City Council meeting.
Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez invited her to City Hall for a special presentation, giving Nezza the spotlight once more. She delivered a powerful 90-second rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner in Spanish, earning a standing ovation from council members, city staff, and even some people in the audience. That’s huge for the singer and the immigrants all across Los Angeles.
“In a moment in time when so many people are remaining silent, she took the platform that she had and she showed us what she was made of,” councilmember Monica Rodriguez said.
Well, Nezza’s performance at the city council wasn’t just about music. It also shined a light on the historical roots of the Spanish version of the national anthem. For the unversed, the Spanish rendition, titled El Pendon Estrellado, was commissioned by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration in 1945. It was an official translation of The Star-Spangled Banner.
Following World War II, the U.S. State Department’s Division of Cultural Cooperation worked with the Music Educators National Conference to promote this Spanish version. The move was meant to build cultural bridges, not divide.
So, when Nezza sings the anthem in Spanish, she sees it as honoring that history, rather than challenging anything.
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