Julia Dale, 12-Year-Old 'Star-Spangled Banner' Singer, Stuns
Miami Heat stars Lebron James and Dwyane Wade likely expected today's headlines to be all about them after they rallied their team to a 103-84 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Sunday night's game two of the NBA finals.
Instead, the 6-foot-8 and 6-foot-four stars, respectively, were upstaged by a 4-foot-3-inch 12-year-old who blew the crowd away before the two NBA stars even stepped onto the court.
National anthem singer Julia Dale has been a feature at Miami Heat games after getting her start singing for South Florida's professional baseball team, the Miami Marlins. The pint-size singer is a South Florida secret no longer after her rendition of the anthem caught the nation's eye in Sunday's televised finals game.
"I'm so honored to have this opportunity," Julia said today on " Good Morning America." "I love to sing. It's what I love to do. It's who I am, and I'm so honored to be able to have this opportunity to be able to sing for an amazing team like the Heat."
The Heat appears to love Julia too. The team has an 18-2 record in games where she has sung the national anthem, the Miami Herald reports.
"I would like to think of myself like that," Julia said when asked if she was part of the Heat family. "All the staff, as I'm walking down to the court, they're like, 'Hi Julia.' They all know me, and I'm so honored. It's like a dream come true."
The national anthem is a famously difficult song to sing as celebrities from Roseanne to even Beyonce have proved at high-profile events. Julia, however, said her love of singing outweighs any nerves she may have before belting it out in front of packed stadiums.
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"I definitely am a little nervous, but I'm most of all excited, and as soon as I get there I'm just ready to go out there and do what I love," she said.
"I'm so honored to be there, I mean, just to have all the fans," Julia added. "I love the reaction I get from the fans. I so appreciate that."