National Anthem Singer
NFL Approved My Look Beforehand
… Amid ‘Stripper Outfit’ Controversy
Published November 19, 2025 12:30 AM PST
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Plenty of fans were bothered by the “stripper outfit” National Anthem singer Karina Pasian rocked on Sunday, but the NFL sure didn’t mind … the Grammy nominee tells TMZ Sports the league approved her fit before “O Say” ever left her lips!
We spoke with the 34-year-old musician this week, fresh off her performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, before the Commanders-Dolphins game, where she addressed the controversy.
Madrid-based vocalist Karina Pasian sings the U.S. National Anthem for the first-ever NFL game in Spain. pic.twitter.com/vIhnBFq4sA
— NFL (@NFL) November 16, 2025
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Pasian was slammed by some viewers online, but none of it had anything to do with her vocals. Instead, it was the mini black dress and thigh-high garters that set people off, with critics knocking the look as “classless.”
However, the league office didn’t see it that way.
“They approved my outfit a few days before,” Pasian said, “It was all approved by the NFL.”
Still, Pasian made it clear she never set out to offend anyone, and has been caught completely off guard by the controversy, explaining the getup was cabaret-inspired — an aesthetic she loves and embraces.
“I’m really sorry if anyone felt offended by it, but it wasn’t my intention,” Pasian told us. “My intention was to have a good time.”
“I loved my outfit!”
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Ultimately, the controversy has made Karina one of the most talked about people in all of music … and that’s not a bad thing for someone who just dropped a new single, “Solo Party” — a song all about having a good time!
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“It’s about focusing on my journey and not allowing negativity and things to distract me.”
