Country artist Leah Turner has tapped into her beautifully diverse upbringing to gift fans her latest EP, Lost in Translation. The album takes listeners through six songs that honor not only Turner’s Mexican-American descent, but also her parents’ love story.
Turner’s dad, an American cowboy, and mom, a jewelry artist and ballerina from Mexico, have gifted Turner a life lived through diverse eyes and as the Latina country artist puts it, a “front-row seat” to a love that “stands the test of time.”
In an exclusive interview with Celeb Secrets Country, Turner shared that this love story is what served as inspiration for the album’s title.
“For me, when we look at our hearts and we allow chemistry to be felt and vibes to be soaked up, nothing can get lost in translation, good or bad,” Turner explained. “Wherever you’re from, whatever different walks of life, nothing can get lost in translation when you look at the heart because the heart is exactly who you are. I just wanted to have that conveyed because my parents looked at the hearts versus what you’re supposed to do because they got married in a time where you didn’t marry outside of your race. They looked at the heart and let the heart speak and nothing got lost in translation. 45 years later, they’re still dancing.”
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Turner’s latest work has now provided six new tracks for her parents to keep on dancing too, most notably “Vaquera and the Cowboy.” Turner expressed that the song takes a page from her parents’ relationship and reminds fans to never settle for a love worth less than what they deserve.
“I’ve had such a privilege to have a front seat to true love and love that stands the test of time and I think that’s missing in the world today,” Turner said. “I don’t know about you, but dating is like the wild west. So, I kind of just wanted to be able to say to people ‘If you ever feel like someone’s not going to take your hand, if you haven’t been held like your gold, watch these two people, vaquera and the cowboy, because they’ve been through it; They’ve made the choice to stay and have their love stand the test of time.’ So it’s an example of what I think we’re all looking for.”
For those who are not only looking for love, but new music to love, fans can look no further. Turner’s enchanting lyrics and vocals are simply unmatched. These elements to Turner’s talent have helped her make waves in the country music space. The “Lost in Translation” singer has been hailed as the highest charting Latina country artist to-date.
Not only is she creating beautiful music, but a more highlighted space in country for artists like herself. Turner said that having this title under her belt is one she is “very grateful” for.
“It’s just such an accomplishment and it’s such an honor to be a small hand in bringing diversity in country music, not only as a Mexicana Hispanic Latino woman, but also just as a woman in country music,” Turner said. “It is just an incredible honor and then to put on top of something like that, I just count my blessings and I’m very grateful.”
Celeb Secrets Country sat down with Turner (virtually) to learn more about Lost in Translation, her career goals and more. Not only does she share insight on what fuels her fire as an artist, Turner dishes on some behind-the-scenes secrets from the “Vaquera and the Cowboy” music video.
Check out the full interview below! Don’t forget to let us know what you think of Lost in Translation by leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sending us a tweet @CS_Country.
Celeb Secrets Country: Congratulations on your latest single “Vaquera and the Cowboy.” I’ve read that your parents’ love story was the blueprint. Talk to me about that!
Leah Turner: “I’ve had such a privilege to have a front seat to true love and love that stands the test of time and I think that’s missing in the world today. I don’t know about you, but dating is like the wild west. So, I kind of just wanted to be able to say to people ‘If you ever feel like someone’s not going to take your hand, if you haven’t been held like your gold, watch these two people, vaquera and the cowboy, because they’ve been through it; They’ve made the choice to stay and have their love stand the test of time.’ So it’s an example of what I think we’re all looking for.”
CSC: In what other ways has your family and your upbringing shaped you as an artist?
LT: “My mom’s a first generation Mexican American and my father is an American cowboy and so having those two worlds actually really married together very well because the vaqueros were the first Cowboys. A lot of the American traditions of the American cowboy come from the vaqueros. So to have those two worlds and be raised by those two worlds, that go hand in hand together so easily, has really given me the opportunity to live my life through diverse eyes and in a diverse way.”
CSC: You are the highest charting Latina country artist to date. When you reflect on that, what do you think?
LT: “It’s just such an accomplishment and it’s such an honor to be a small hand in bringing diversity in country music, not only as a Mexicana Hispanic Latino woman, but also just as a woman in country music,” Turner said. “It is just an incredible honor and then to put on top of something like that, I just count my blessings and I’m very grateful.”
CSC: Since that is such a huge honor, moving forward what is your highest goal career-wise?
LT: “Take over the world. My highest career goal, you know, Linda Ronstadt is such an incredible example because she has had a number one in country music and the reason why she’s not considered as the highest charting is because she wasn’t in the actual country genre. But that to me is so incredible and appealing. To have number ones not only as an artist, but also as a writer in various genres and really just kick down all of the doors that somebody may say is closed and ‘nobody’s done that before’ or ‘that can’t be done.’ She’s a great person to take a page out of their book.”
CSC: We’re days away from your EP Lost in Translation. What was the inspiration for the album?
LT: “I wrote the title album with these two guys out here in Nashville, Evan Hoffman and Michael Wright, and it was incredible because they got the direction very easily. For me, when we look at our hearts and we allow chemistry to be felt and vibes to be soaked up, nothing can get lost in translation, good or bad. Wherever you’re from, whatever different walks of life, nothing can get lost in translation when you look at the heart because the heart is exactly who you are. I just wanted to have that conveyed because my parents looked at the hearts versus of what you’re supposed to do because they got married in a time where you didn’t marry outside of your race. They looked at the heart and let the heart speak and nothing got lost in translation. 45 years later, they’re still dancing.”
CSC: I couldn’t help but notice that you’re releasing it on October 15th, which marks the end of Hispanic Heritage Month. Was there a significance in picking that date?
LT: “It was! We wanted to release all of these songs throughout Hispanic Heritage Month. I mean, every day of my life is Hispanic Heritage Month, you know, but really highlighting that and that it’s a month of really celebrating the culture, celebrating the hard work and the fighters that we are as a culture and so we wanted to release, introduce, and then end it with open hearts and open minds and that nothing does get lost in translation.”
CSC: Do you have a favorite song on the track list? I’m sure that’s so hard to pick!
LT: “I do! My favorite song would have to be “Vaquera and the Cowboy” and that is because it has made me who I am. Because of their fight and because of their never give up, I am that same way and I’m sitting here today in a career that I love, talking to people like you. It’s also instilled such hope for real love for me that I don’t settle for anything that isn’t what they are. And that doesn’t mean that there’s not a fight. That doesn’t mean that you don’t want to kill each other. if it’s worth that you stick through it and so that song right there has really made me who I am, not only as a person, but as an artist.”
CSC: Since we are Celebs Secrets, is there any behind the scenes secret that we wouldn’t know just from listening to the album?
LT: “Well, this isn’t really a secret but it’s kind of cool. In the video that comes out for “Vaquera and the Cowboy,” my parents are in the video. So no one’s gonna know that until it comes out. It’s really awesome. We got a young version that resembled them and then had my actual parents be in it. It was really just special to have them be a part of their love story and then watching it back and seeing it through their eyes. And then when I was riding the horse, cause you’ll see that in the video, I literally have the worst boots on that you’re supposed to ride in, but they were like fashion, you know. They’re literally like knee high patent leather wedge cowboy boots and my uncle was like, ‘Oh my God, you’re going to fall,’ and I did not! Because I had no heel to be able to keep on the horse, it was all in the inner thighs. There you go!”
