HHSA Employee Hits the High Notes - Again and Again and Again

Mercedes Martin-RayaThe next time you stand up for the national anthem at a sporting event or military ceremony in San Diego, you might just be treated to the singing talents of one of your fellow County employees.

Mercedes Martin-Raya, an HHSA protective services worker, has been performing the Star-Spangled Banner and America the Beautiful at events for several years and the invitations to sing just keep coming.

She recently performed at a Padres game. She’s also sung for the Chargers, at Olympic qualifying events in San Diego, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Juan Capistrano as well as naval retirement and chief petty officer pinning ceremonies on local military bases.

Despite performing in front of tens of thousands and having done it for years, Mercedes still gets nervous every time.

“I get terrified,” she said. “Especially when I sang at the Padres game. My nervousness goes away when I hit that first note, but before that I’m shaking so much I can barely control it.

“Sometimes we have to push through our fear to do what we love.”

She got her start singing when she was “forced” into voice lessons by her father when she was 12.

“I absolutely hated it,” Mercedes said.

She attended a performing arts school for 12 years and was trained in classical voice techniques.

“Right out of high school I auditioned for the San Diego County Fair and the Del Mar National,” she said.

She’s sung at the Del Mar National, an Olympic qualifying event, for 12 straight years now and has also sung at the Del Mar International (with Olympians from all over the world) for six years.

In all, she sings at about 12-15 events a year. It’s a good thing then that the Star-Spangled Banner is Mercedes’ favorite song. And she’s a purist. She likes the song just the way it is.

“I hate it when people change it. No one does it justice when you try to change it. The song is perfect,” she said. “I don’t fluff it or put a bunch of riffs in there. That’s not my style.”

Her favorite part of the song is hitting that last note and then that little silent moment before the crowd erupts in applause.

“It’s great to know you’ve brought joy to people for two minutes.”

She’s hoping the recent Padres game was a turning point for her.

“I’m hoping to be invited back for more games,” she said. “And I just got a call from San Diego State.

“And I have my dad to thank for making me do it.”