New York City, USA β€” The crowd may have gathered for baseball, but it was Lea Salonga who delivered the home run of the night. The Tony Award-winning Filipina Broadway star brought the house down with her flawless, emotional, and powerful live rendition of β€œThe Star-Spangled Banner” at the start of the New York Yankees game β€” and left Americans and foreigners alike absolutely stunned.

β€œShe didn’t just sing it β€” she owned it,” one Yankees fan tweeted.
β€œWho is she? We need her at the Super Bowl next!” said another.


A Voice That Silenced a Stadium

As the crowd at Yankee Stadium settled for the national anthem, no one expected that a Filipina icon would take center stage and deliver one of the most powerful renditions in recent memory.

Wearing a simple yet elegant navy-blue ensemble, Lea stood confidently at the mic. Then came the first note β€” crystal clear, perfectly controlled, and filled with emotion.

By the time she reached the high note of β€œthe land of the free,” the entire stadium was already on their feet, clapping, shouting, and even cheering mid-performance β€” a rare sight during the national anthem in the U.S.


Social Media Explodes: β€œThat’s How You Do It!”

Within minutes, videos of the performance flooded X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok.

β€œLea Salonga just gave one of the BEST renditions of the U.S. anthem I’ve ever heard.”

β€œShe showed more respect and power in that 2 minutes than half of Hollywood.”

β€œFilipina excellence on full display.”

The clip has since racked up millions of views, with users from the U.S., Philippines, and beyond tagging the NFL, NBA, and even the White House, demanding more international spotlight for the global Broadway queen.

Hashtags like #LeaSalonga, #YankeesAnthem, #FilipinaPride, and #SalongaAtYankees quickly trended worldwide.


Filipino Fans Beam with Pride: β€œHindi lang basta ganda β€” GILAS!” πŸ‡΅πŸ‡­

Back home, Filipinos were bursting with pride as they watched one of their own shine on one of the biggest stages in American sports.

β€œPina-nganga niya talaga buong stadium! Lea Salonga is in a league of her own.”

β€œSa dami ng kumanta ng anthem, bakit siya lang ang kinikilabutan kami?”

β€œThis is how you represent the Philippines. With class. With voice. With grace.”

Even local celebrities and musicians praised Lea:

Gary Valenciano: β€œThat anthem. That control. That LEA.”

Regine Velasquez: β€œThere will never be another Lea Salonga. Ever.”


A Perfect Performance from a Global Legend

Lea is no stranger to anthem performances β€” from singing for royalty, global summits, the Olympics, and Disney’s biggest titles. But this one felt extra special, not just because it was flawless, but because it was unexpected.

β€œIt wasn’t just for the U.S. β€” it was a moment for the Philippines too,” a fan posted.
β€œShe sang for both flags that night.”

https://youtu.be/x2kr8gvLYrI


A Moment Bigger Than Music

What Lea Salonga reminded the world was this: excellence has no borders. A Filipina standing on American soil, giving one of the most revered performances of a patriotic song, and doing it with unmatched skill β€” that’s cultural diplomacy in action.

β€œTonight, Lea Salonga sang the anthem. And the world listened,” said one U.S. sports commentator.


Conclusion: A Star Without Borders

Lea Salonga didn’t just sing.
She soared.
And in doing so, she reminded every Filipino, every Asian, and every dreamer that talent, humility, and grace will always shine β€” no matter where you are in the world.

β€œMabuhay ka, Lea Salonga. You sang their song β€” but you carried our flag.” πŸ‡΅πŸ‡­

Lea Salonga sings US national anthem at New York Yankees game

Tony Award winner and Broadway star Lea Salonga performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” at a New York Yankees game.

A video of Salonga singing the American national anthem was shared by the New York Yankees on its social Β media accounts on Tuesday morning (Manila time).

In the caption, it also mentioned Salonga’s current Broadway show “Sondheim’s Old Friends.”

On Instagram, Salonga also uploaded a photo from the said event

“Thanks for having me! Go NY!!!,” Salonga wrote.

Just last week, the Filipino theater star walked the red carpet with her son Nic at the 78th Tony Awards.

Salonga was among the presenters during the annual theater awards show