O Say Can You See: LW East Student Sings National Anthem For Sox

FRANKFORT, IL — The lights were up and the crowd was ready when Gianna Smyth took the mic to lead the Chicago White Sox faithful in the singing of the national anthem July 20 at Guaranteed Rate Field as the Sox hosted the Minnesota Twins.

Her performance went down without a hitch, but the journey that would eventually land Smyth behind home plate hit an unexpected detour along the way. Former White Sox player Mike Huff saw Smyth perform at a Swing for a Cure charity event in Crestwood, Illinois in 2019. Her rendition impressed him enough to get her a chance to sing in the major leagues. The 16-year-old junior at Lincoln-Way East was originally supposed to sing the national anthem on May 1, 2020, but the pandemic kept Major League Baseball stadiums closed for most of last season, and no one was certain what the policies for fans would be entering this current season.

The White Sox kept in contact with Smyth, and when restrictions were lifted, and fans were allowed back in the ballparks, and when live performances of the national anthem were back on the table, Smyth got her moment to shine.

And so, at 6:57 p.m. July 20, Smyth was introduced over the public address system and belted out the national anthem, which drew thunderous applause from the crowd.

"I was so excited that it drowned out all the nerves," Smyth said of her performance. "I saw all the seats in the stadium, and I thought, 'Wow. All these seats are going to be filled, people are going to be sitting in those seats hearing me sing.'"

Smyth compared the experience to a carnival ride.

"You know on a rollercoaster how you're nervous, like look at that big drop, then you go down the big drop and you're like, 'Wow, that was so fun.' That's exactly how it is," she said. "You feel like this is going to be scary and I hope it goes well. And then, after you sing and it well, it's like 'thank goodness.' And you hear all the people clapping, and it makes you want to do it again, and again, and again. That's what I love."

Smyth is no stranger to public performances. She found her love for singing when she was just 3 years old. She has performed at Windy City Thunderbolts games, University of Illinois basketball games, the Shedd Aquarium and a slew of over venues.

Smyth said she plans to continue her singing career, and she has even begun to write her own lyrics and has recently taken an interest in acting.

"I would love to do it all. That's what I want to do," she said. "There's just not enough time in the world."

She offered this advice for other aspiring artists:

"Don't listen to the people who tell you to stop. Just don't stop. Don't doubt yourself ... because there's so much competition out there that if you doubt yourself even once somebody else could be taking your place."

Smyth has an Instagram account with links to all her social media sites. It can be viewed by clicking here. And check out the video below to see Smyth's performance from July 20.