UConn Grad Student Sings National Anthem For President Biden

Music has almost always been a part of her life, but Nadia Aguilar-Steinberg never thought she would sing for the president.

"Everything that I've done in my life kind of led me to this point," Aguilar-Steinberg said.

Before President Biden's arrival, the UConn grad student got a call. It was from the director of the School of Fine Arts.

"He told me, and it was top secret, don't tell anybody. 'Can you sing the National Anthem?' And I was like, wow, I was so humbled and so impressed that he chose me. So I immediately said, 'yes, of course,'" she said.

It was a shining moment on the national stage, but Aguilar-Steinberg's first stage was in Mexico where she was born.

Submitted photo

"I was part of this adult's choir, but I was the only kid there. I was 14 years old, and I was a soprano. And then they put me on the stage with a bunch of professional opera singers, as a chorus member. So then I started hearing and then my ear got trained, you know, to imitate those sounds of the opera singers," she said.

When Aguilar-Steinberg moved to the U.S. in 2012, she knew the path her life would take.

"It's been like a long road to get to my performance career. So then it's like, okay, all of a sudden, you have like this beautiful opportunity. You know, who knows where it's gonna take me but I'm gonna take it and it's just amazing," she said.

It was certainly a performance that made loved ones smile.

"My family's very happy back at home in Mexico. They're so proud," Aguilar-Steinberg said.

"There's a reason why I was chosen. And I am happy to be here and happy to sing for the President," she continued.