Is Nezza banned from Dodgers Stadium after singing national anthem in Spanish?

R&B artist Nezza is garnering widespread attention after performing the U.S. national anthem in Spanish at a Los Angeles Dodgers game on Sunday, June 15, defying the team’s wishes.

In a now-viral TikTok video shared by the singer, Nezza is seen speaking with a woman identified as a member of the Dodgers' front office, who can be heard confirming that the national anthem is to be performed in English.

As she receives the news, Nezza responds with a simple “Oh,” her facial expression clearly reflecting disappointment. Before cutting to footage of her singing the anthem in Spanish in front of hundreds at Dodger Stadium, Nezza included the following onscreen text: “Watch the Dodgers tell me I can’t sing the Spanish Star-Spangled Banner that Roosevelt literally commissioned in 1945… so I did anyway.”

The moment has sparked wide debate and praise online, with many of the over eight million views and 11,000 comments applauding Nezza for honoring her heritage and spotlighting a lesser-known part of American musical history. President Franklin D. Roosevelt did, in fact, authorize a Spanish-language version of the anthem in 1945 as part of efforts to strengthen ties with Latin American allies during World War II.

In the first TikTok video uploaded by the singer, Nezza captioned the post with the message, “Para mi gente, I stand with you.” Later, she shared a second video in which she appears visibly emotional. 

In this follow-up clip, Nezza takes a moment to explain the history of the national anthem's Spanish translation and its origins. She also said she didn’t think she would be met with any sort of pushback from the team, “especially because we are in L.A. and with everything happening, and I've sung the national anthem many times in my life, but there was today out of all days. 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,” Nezza said. 

The R&B singer also addressed her viewers, explaining that those who have followed her know she approaches everything with love and positive energy. She expressed pride in her actions, stating, “I’m proud of myself for doing that today because my parents are immigrants.”

Nezza reflected on the challenges her Dominican Republic family has faced, noting that although her parents are now citizens, she can still imagine the fear of being separated, even now at age 30, let alone as a child. She then apologized for revealing a more vulnerable side of herself and thanked everyone for the kind messages she has received since the incident. The second video ends with Nezza confirming that she has been banned from entering the stadium again. 

Fellow singer and Inglewood native Becky G expressed support for Nezza in her Instagram story, sharing Nezza’s video and stating, “@dodgers don’t you dare turn your backs on us now. We as a city have embraced you & need your support now more than ever. THINK ABOUT WHO FILLS UP YOUR STADIUM!!!”

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers are facing backlash for their silence, failing to issue a statement addressing either the incident with the singer or the ongoing immigration raids in Los Angeles County. Many individuals on social media are now questioning where the team’s loyalty lies, especially given that the majority of their fan base is Latino.

Dodgers outfielder Kike Hernández has posted on Instagram in support of immigrants.