Is the Spanish version of ‘Star Spangled Banner’ authorized by the government? Nezza addresses not singing the national anthem in English

Influencer and R&B singer Nezza, whose real name is Vanessa Hernández, has gone viral for singing the Star-Spangled Banner in Spanish. During the Los Angeles Dodgers' game against the San Francisco Giants on Saturday, June 14, 2025, Hernández chose to sing a Spanglish (Spanish and English) rendition of the song in protest against the recent ICE raids and deportation of immigrants.

Francis Scott Key wrote the national anthem in 1814 after witnessing the battle of Fort McHenry in Maryland. Its title referenced the American flag waving over the fort at dawn, as per NBC Los Angeles.

Per the outlet, in 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration commissioned a Spanish version of Key's song that could be distributed in Latin America to share the country's values and aspirations. Eventually, they shortlisted El Pendón Estrellado by Peruvian-American composer and lyricist Clotilde Arias.

Notably, according to the Smithsonian, Arias' translation remained "extremely faithful" to the original. Further, hers is the only "official translation" of the national anthem that is allowed to be sung.

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"It’s really weird to see the statement they put out" - Nezza on conflicting comments from the Dodgers in response to her performance

Nezza took to her TikTok following her performance at Saturday's Major League Baseball game to share her singing the song, with the caption:

"Watch the Dodgers tell me I can’t sing the Spanish Star Spangled Banner that Roosevelt literally commissioned in 1945 – so I did it anyway."

According to Fox 11, leading up to the game, Nezza had shared multiple emails with the Dodgers' team detailing her plans to sing the national anthem in both Spanish and English.

However, shortly before her performance, an employee with the team told her they would be doing the song in English.

As seen in the songstress's video, following her rehearsal performance, a rep informed an elated Hernández:

"We are gonna do the song in English today. I’m not sure if that wasn’t relayed."

Nezza's smile immediately disappeared, and the video cut off before she gave a verbal response.

In a separate TikTok video, Hernández noted that it was safe to assume she was not welcome at the stadium "ever again."

In another video, she explained she was "very shaken up and emotional" but explained that she didn't think she would be denied singing El Pendón Estrellado, considering it was "officially commissioned" and also because of the protests in the city.

However, in a statement made to the Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers noted that there were "no consequences" from the club and that "Nezza would be welcome back at the stadium in the future."

Nezza painted a different story. In her interview with Variety, she explained that as she was walking back after her bit, her team received a call asking them not to contact the Dodgers again and that she and her manager's clients were not welcome.

Expressing her confusion at the conflicting statement, she added:

"It’s really weird to see the statement they put out, because I was confused. I don’t know who’s not communicating over there, or if they don’t know that she said that to us, and they’re now learning that."

Elsewhere in the interview, Nezza, who is of Colombian-Dominican origin, elaborated on her reasoning to perform the national anthem in Spanish.

She explained that in light of the ICE protests, she wanted to "support (her) community" and wanted to sing both versions (English and the "officially" commissioned translation) of the song.

The TikToker also confessed that she was surprised by the positive response she garnered. She told Variety that she walked out onto the field, expecting to be "booed."

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More recently, Hernández performed The Star-Spangled Banner at an Athletics game in the Bay Area on June 3.