Rising R&B singer Nezza is making headlines after a bold and emotional performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” in Spanish at a Los Angeles Dodgers game, defying a reported request from the team to sing it in English. The 30-year-old artist, who wore a Dominican Republic jersey, posted a now-viral TikTok on Sunday, June 15, showing the moment she was informed by a Dodgers representative that the anthem should be performed in English. Her stunned reaction quickly cuts to footage of her delivering the anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium, drawing cheers from the crowd.

The TikTok, which has racked up over seven million views, includes a caption referencing a 1945 Spanish translation of the anthem commissioned by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of a cultural diplomacy effort. “So I did anyway,” Nezza wrote, noting the anthem’s historical context. Overcome with emotion mid-performance, she briefly covered her face before finishing the song. In a follow-up video, Nezza said she was surprised by the resistance she faced, especially given the setting. “We’re in LA,” she said, referencing the city’s large Latino population and recent protests tied to federal immigration crackdowns.

Nezza explained that her parents are longtime documented immigrants, and the thought of families being separated hits close to home. “I just felt like I needed to do it,” she said. While she joked that she’s “never allowed in that stadium again,” Nezza stood firm in her choice: “Para mi gente, I stand with you.”