San Antonio-born bilingual Latina artist Vanita Leo has seen her own future, and she trusts it. After being born into a rich line of Tejano artists like her father and tía, Leo was destined to be in the spotlight—and now in 2026, she’s finally ready to flourish from the seeds planted by her musically-driven family before her. In a Zoom interview with CREMA, she discussed her family upbringing, her challenges with machismo in música mexicana, and what she’s up to next. And spoiler alert: it’s all about putting herself first.
Leo is an emerging Tejano and cumbia norteño artist, with role models like Jennifer Peña, Elida Reyna, and Alicia Villarreal. But did you know she has music in her blood? She comes from a line of Tejano artists—her father, Marco Jaime, is still singing with Grupo Maldad, and her aunt, Esmeralda Jaime (also known as Lolita Villa), is known for her 90s hits like “Tu Muñeca” and “No Soporto Mas.”
Growing up, she saw how her father would command the stage with confidence, inspiring her to do the same. Moreover, Leo also studied at the Stephen F. Austin Academy of Mariachi. Under her uncle’s wing, she learned discipline and vocal etiquette, giving her useful techniques for later in life. Now, Leo is continuing the musical route with her own Tejano spin and her soft-yet-baddie spirit.
Since 2024, Leo’s been releasing rhythmic music, showcasing the cumbia pop, bolero, and Tejano that San Antonio has to offer. Her first release, “solo tu bb,” came out two years ago, and though it may seem like a short time, the rising star has already faced challenges that are shaping how she approaches her career.
For example, she has faced machismo within the historically male-dominated space of música mexicana. “I went through a lot of discomfort. I feel like I’ve become b*tchier—more firm and more direct,” she said about what she learned from her past experiences. “And if anything, I’m [controlling more] how to not let it change my character—being in positions where you have to be extremely firm [requires you to draw on] energy within you. If you want to be on the project and you’re passionate about it, great, let’s just do what we have to do. I hate being in a position where I have to set boundaries, but así es la vida, right?”
Though her past experiences pushed her to be a firmer version of herself, they also led her to work with her now-favorite collaborators, such as Alan Vega, Agua Tinta, and Ashlee Valenzuela, with whom she happily recorded her latest album, Cumbiamante. When asked what she learned through her musical journey thus far, she responded, “You have to be surrounded by love. Do it with love—that’s perfect. That’s the best way to consolidate all of that. Just do it with love. Surround yourself with love. Be authentic.”
Her last album was a major milestone in her career. Cumbiamente also unknowingly served as a manifestation in her personal life. After singing imaginary breakup songs (when she was in a relationship), Leo ended up experiencing one of her own. Listening back to her project, she listens with a different sentiment. “It’s just crazy to hear how sad I was—during such a beautiful time in my career—and how different it’s been to learn that you can be going through emotional chaos and still have this beauty over here… This music world that has been introduced in my life,” she told CREMA. “Because three years ago, I didn’t have any of this in my life. So I learned the importance of it. I learned how to let go of things through Cumbiamente—and how to be okay with it.”
Now, she’s ready to step into a new era. With two new singles on the horizon—“Hot Chika” with 8onthebeat due on April 8 and “De Una Vez” due on April 24—Leo has a lot to look forward to. This time, in her own terms and by putting herself first, Leo is ready to choose herself and no longer make herself smaller or “allow [herself] to be put in uncomfortable situations just out of love for somebody else.”
And she has a lot of ambition, too. In the future, she hopes to continue pushing her sonic boundaries. A collaborator she would love to work with is Retoños Del Rio, a Mexican norteño group from Zacatecas. Beyond regional Mexican music, she would also love to explore R&B and mix in rap into her cumbia. Some favorite artists in those realms include Foggieraw, SAILORR, and Lexa Gates.
As far as shows go, Leo just got done performing multiple showcases at Austin’s massive SXSW. She shared her music in showcases presented by Norf Norf Way & MAS Cultura and De Los.
