Angelina Victoria is a well-known and established Mexican-American artist hailing from Chicago, who sang the national anthem for her hometown Chicago White Sox on June 12, kicking off the first home game of a huge weekend series between the first-place White Sox and defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
For City Connect and Homies Night, Angelina got to show off her powerful vocals, marking the second straight year she’s performed the national anthem for the White Sox. She’s hoping to make this an annual tradition, and we got a chance to briefly talk with Angelina just a few hours after her performance.
South Side Sox: This isn’t the first time you have done the national anthem for the Sox. So what does it feel like to be called back again by the team to do so?
Angelina Victoria: It is absolutely an honor to be called back by the White Sox to do it again. Chicago is my hometown. So it is such an honor all the time, an amazing opportunity being here and getting to sing the national anthem for my people of Chicago. I am so grateful to be back again this year, and hopefully I will be back sometime again next year, too.
It is always a little bit nerve-wracking in the beginning. So I always try to make sure I am repeating the anthem in my head, so when I get there I am on key.
You grew up as a White Sox fan, so that must make it even more of an honor, right?
Yeah, I grew up a White Sox fan, thanks especially to my Dad’s side of the family. They are all White Sox fans. I grew up going to the White Sox games and getting the stickers. That was the mail-in stuff they used to offer. I used to get the stickers from the kid’s packs. We would always go to the games, and it would always be so much fun.
The White Sox aren’t the only Chicago team you have sang the national anthem for. You have also performed for the Bears and Fire as well. So how does it feel being from Chicago and being called to do so for each one of those teams?
It is really cool, and I am honestly really grateful for all of the support that they have given me. I am so honored that I get to sing for my hometown, and just be a part of these amazing games every single year. It is truly an honor and I am very grateful.
There are some teams you haven’t sang the national anthem for yet. Who’s on your list?
Da Bulls. No. 1 is Da Bulls right now. They are the only Chicago team I haven’t sang for yet and one of the bigger teams. I would love to sing the national anthem for Da Bulls one day.