Latin singer Nezza mentioned she is “tremendous proud” of performing the nationwide anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night time and that she has “no regrets.”
Her shocking 90-second rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” previous to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ sport in opposition to the Giants — and a behind-the-scenes video she shared on social media of crew representatives discouraging it beforehand — shortly went viral and have change into a flashpoint for Dodgers followers annoyed by the crew’s lack of vocal assist for immigrant communities impacted by the deportation raids throughout the U.S., together with quite a few neighborhoods in and round Los Angeles.
“That is my second to point out everybody that I’m with them that now we have a voice and with every part that is taking place it is not OK,” Nezza, 30, informed The Related Press. “I am tremendous proud that I did it. No regrets.”
Nezza mentioned she hadn’t but determined whether or not to sing in English or Spanish till she walked out onto the sector and noticed the stands crammed with Latino households in Dodger blue. Previous to that, as proven within the singer’s TikTok video, a Dodgers worker had informed Nezza that “we’re going to do the music in English at the moment, so I am undecided if that wasn’t transferred or if that wasn’t relayed.”
The Spanish-language model Nezza sang, “El Pendón Estrellado,” is the official translation of the nationwide anthem and was commissioned in 1945 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt from Peruvian-American composer Clotilde Arias.
Nezza says her supervisor instantly acquired a name from an unidentified Dodgers worker saying their purchasers weren’t welcome on the stadium once more, however the crew denied that in a press release to the AP.
“There have been no penalties or laborious emotions from the Dodgers relating to her efficiency,” the Dodgers mentioned within the assertion. “She was not requested to go away. We might be glad to have her again.”
Regardless of the Dodgers’ assertion, Nezza mentioned she doesn’t assume she’s going to return to the stadium however hopes her efficiency will encourage others to make use of their voice and converse out.
“It is simply proven me like how a lot energy there may be within the Latin neighborhood,” Nezza mentioned. “We gotta be the voice proper now.”
The Dodgers haven’t gone on the report relating to the arrests and raids made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement brokers within the areas only a brief drive from Dodger Stadium, however participant Enrique Hernandez posted about it on Instagram over the weekend.
“I’m saddened and infuriated by what’s taking place in our nation and our metropolis,” Hernández posted in English and Spanish. “I can not stand to see our neighborhood being violated, profiled, abused and ripped aside. ALL individuals need to be handled with respect, dignity and human rights.”
The Related Press contributed to this report.