She Defied Instructions and Sang the U.S. Anthem in Spanish. Now, NEZZA Is Releasing It as a Protest Song

It was supposed to be a feel-good moment. A young Latina pop star singing the national anthem at Dodger Stadium. But when NEZZA stepped up to the mic on June 14 and delivered “The Star-Spangled Banner” in Spanish, things got complicated. Fast.

Security told her not to. She did it anyway. And now, the version that almost got her banned is dropping as a single, with proceeds going to immigration nonprofits and youth empowerment orgs.

NEZZA was told not to sing in Spanish. She did it anyway

In a TikTok video posted the next day, NEZZA, whose full name is Vanessa Hernández, shared the moment a stadium staff member told her, “We are gonna do the song in English today.” Her expression said everything.

Still, she walked onto the field and sang “El Pendón Estrellado,” the official Spanish version of the U.S. anthem, originally commissioned by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration in 1945 as part of the Good Neighbor Policy.

“Para mi gente,” she captioned the post. “I stand with you. Yesterday was easily one of the scariest days of my life… and I’m so proud that I did.”

Why NEZZA chose “El Pendón Estrellado” in the first place

In a follow-up video, the Colombian-Dominican artist explained that she chose the Clotilde Arias translation because it was historically rooted and culturally meaningful. She believed her performance would be welcomed, especially in a city like Los Angeles.

“I didn’t think I would be met with any sort of ‘no,’” she said. “I just felt like I needed to do it.”

The anthem’s legacy, NEZZA said, was part of the reason she refused to back down. “It was officially commissioned in 1945 by the U.S. State Department,” she explained, highlighting its connection to U.S.–Latin America relations and Roosevelt’s policy of hemispheric cooperation.

Backlash didn’t break her. It energized her

The backlash came fast, but so did the love. NEZZA told Billboard, “I didn’t expect the moment at Dodger Stadium to reach so many people, and I definitely didn’t expect the outpouring of love that followed.”

She received messages from Latinos, immigrants, and families who said they felt seen and proud. “It reminded me that when you speak up, even when it’s hard, you help others feel brave enough to do the same,” she said.

Her decision was also deeply personal. “My parents are immigrants… I just can’t imagine them being ripped away from me,” she said, referencing recent ICE raids under the Trump administration.

Now NEZZA is turning the anthem into a protest single

This month, NEZZA officially released her studio version of “El Pendón Estrellado.” According to Billboard, she’s donating 50% of the proceeds to A Place Called Home (APCH), a nonprofit in South LA that serves youth through education and the arts. The other 50% will support immigration defense orgs like Esperanza Immigration Rights Project.

NEZZA is also organizing a charity concert called “NEZZA & Friends,” scheduled for August 29 at The Roxy in West Hollywood. One hundred percent of proceeds will go to immigration defense.

“This isn’t just about music,” she said in a press release. “It’s about honoring where I come from, supporting the people who often go unseen, and creating space for others to feel heard and valued.”

NEZZA’s anthem is about more than language. It’s about power

Beyond the Spanish translation, “El Pendón Estrellado” is reclaiming something deeper for NEZZA and her community. “If I’m remembered for anything,” she told Billboard, “I hope it’s for helping bring it back into the spotlight. For Clotilde Arias, who gave it life, and para mi gente Latina, who’ve always had songs worth singing.”

It’s the same anthem. But with NEZZA’s voice behind it, it sounds like something brand new.