On Saturday, singer and social media influencer Neza made headlines for breaking protocol at Dodger Stadium.
Before the Dodgers’ 11-5 win against the Giants, she performed the national anthem in Spanish, despite it going against what the organization had requested. A video shared by Neza captured an unidentified Dodgers staff member advising her to sing in English.
In the video, she can be heard saying, “I did it anyway,” as the clip cuts to her singing the anthem.
Neza, whose full name is Vanessa Hernandez, later shared an emotional TikTok detailing why she chose to sing in Spanish. She mentioned that the version she sang was originally commissioned by the U.S. State Department in 1945 to promote goodwill with Latino communities.
She expressed her motivations, saying, “We were in LA, and with everything going on, we didn’t think we would face any pushback.” She added that she has sung the anthem many times but felt particularly compelled to do so on this occasion, sharing her feelings about her immigrant parents.
Neza noted she couldn’t imagine a time when she would be separated from her parents, emphasizing the importance of her heritage.
The Dodgers have not addressed the incident publicly. However, team officials explained to a local outlet that while there were no repercussions regarding Neza’s performance, they would still welcome her in the future.
Manager Dave Roberts has been asked about the situation but hasn’t provided extensive commentary. He acknowledged the anxiety surrounding various issues in the city but stated he couldn’t elaborate further.
