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.
How family roots can shape your future
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.”…