Crosstown Series: Gabby B talks viral video in Chicago, national anthem ahead of Saturday's game

Pop star Gabby B on singing the anthem for the Chicago Cubs and White Sox | ChicagoNOW

Pop powerhouse Gabby B is no stranger to the stage or the stadium. The Brazilian-born artist is back in Chicago for her third year and talks to us about bringing her signature flair to both sides of town as she prepares to sing the national anthem for the Cubs and White Sox.

CHICAGO - Brazilian-born pop artist Gabby B is no stranger to big stages or national anthems—and this weekend, she'll be adding a Major League Baseball stadium to her growing list of venues.

The multilingual singer, recently named one of Rolling Stone’s Top 10 Artists to Watch, will perform the national anthem at the Crosstown Series at Guaranteed Rate Field on Saturday.

Crosstown Series performance 

What we know:

While she’s previously performed the national anthem at NBA games—including for the Chicago Bulls—this week marked Gabby B’s debut singing for an MLB team. The Crosstown Series will be her second time taking the field with America’s pastime.

"The national anthem is an honor. It's like, it's a respect," said Gabby B. "I take that very seriously when I do the anthem. I want to remember all the lyrics and make sure that I don't mess anything up because to me it's a respect thing to the country, and I do always want to do that and make sure that I do a good job at that."

Gabby, who speaks and sings in several languages—English, Portuguese, French, Spanish and Italian—said each performance requires its own preparation, but the national anthem demands a special level of focus and respect.

Brazilian Funk Meets Pop

The backstory:

Born in Brazil and raised in France, Gabby later moved to the United States and now lives in South Florida. 

Her multicultural background has shaped her music, which blends international genres with mainstream pop. Her new single "Tuboca" is a fusion of Latin and Brazilian funk, a genre she said is gaining traction on platforms like TikTok.

"It's mostly in Spanish for the Latin market and I got a little bit of Portuguese in there for the second verse to have a little bit of my flair in there," said Gabby B.  "I love mixing languages. I love fusionizing different cultures. I especially, I grew up on funk, Brazilian funk. It's something that not everybody knows yet, but it's a genre that on TikTok people are using a lot and I want to be part of."

Gabby’s song "Licorice" has already gained global attention, particularly in France and parts of Asia. Though she hasn’t toured internationally yet, she said she’s hopeful and eager to connect with fans around the world.

Gabby B's connection to Chicago

Dig deeper:

In addition to her music, Gabby makes regular appearances at the Chicago Sports Spectacular, a fan event featuring athletes, actors and entertainers. She credits a viral TikTok video recorded in Chicago with sparking her strong connection to the city.

"My fans…. in Chicago, like I noticed I had a lot of supporters here. So I was very excited to be doing that. And I've been doing that for years now. I actually had a video go viral here," said Gabby B.

When she’s not performing, Gabby said she enjoys indulging in the city’s famous food scene—despite usually sticking to a strict diet. 

"It [Chicago] really makes me want to try everything," said Gabby B.