Leah Turner Blazes a Bold Trail with "This Is Mi": Where Country Meets Latin Fire

Leah Turner’s latest is a masterful expression of both her heart and heritage, an unapologetic showcase of her vibrant blend of country roots and Latin fire. Born to a rodeo champion father and a Mexican American mother, Turner's journey to Nashville was as inevitable as her passion for crafting songs that embrace all sides of who she is. Her debut LP feels like an intimate love letter to her lineage and her love for music, stitched together with sincerity and a bold sense of identity.

Photo by Amanda López.

Opening with the fierce anthem "This Is Mi," Turner lays down her statement of independence and pride. The track's gritty guitars and powerful lyrics carry a message of self-assurance—Turner is a force to be reckoned with. It’s not just a declaration of her artistry but an embrace of her dual cultural roots, blending country swagger with Latin rhythms in a way that feels as much an introduction as it does a celebration.

"South of the Border," featuring Jerrod Niemann, is a fiery love song that pulls you straight into a sun-soaked, tequila-infused romance. With vibrant Spanish guitar and Niemann’s smooth country vocals intertwined with Turner’s passionate delivery, the track paints a vivid picture of a love that blazes as bright as a desert sunset. It’s the kind of song that transports you to another world, a perfect nod to Turner’s ability to fuse traditional country storytelling with Latin passion.

Then there’s the introspective ballad "Burn," a haunting track that explores the unraveling of a relationship, the lyrics crackling with pain and resolve. Turner's vocals shine here—raw, emotional, and beautifully restrained. She sings of love’s inevitable heartbreaks with a poignancy that feels universal, yet deeply personal.

Each of the nine songs on I Am Mi reveals a new layer of Turner’s artistry. She effortlessly navigates between soulful ballads, fierce anthems, and sensual love songs, all while keeping her feet firmly planted in both her Mexican-American roots and country music traditions. With every note, she proves she isn’t just here to stay—she’s here to carve out a space all her own.

“This Is Mi is so special to me because it is my first full length album of my career, and it’s fully embracing my whole self,” said Turner of the project in a press release. “I have been working on bringing western country and Mexican music together for 5 years, and to see all the blood, sweat, tears, and tequila finally coming together is so exciting for me. This sound has been in the making for a long time, and teaming up with Alejandro Medina III was the final ingredient to the sound! We worked many long hours and saw many sunrises getting it perfect! I hope when people hear this record they feel like Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek in Desperado: sexy, legendary, free, and so inspired that they want it ‘otra vez’ (again). I want people to know country music is for everyone, and if you have a dream that may go against the grain, do it anyway. That’s what makes you stand out! Si se puede!”

Leah Turner’s project isn’t just an album—it’s a reflection of a woman who refuses to be defined by one thing, embracing her heritage and her artistry in equal measure. In doing so, she delivers a stunning collection of songs that feel like a breath of fresh air in the country music landscape. Turner’s unique voice, both literally and metaphorically, is exactly what Nashville needs right now—a reminder that country music is as diverse, rich, and evolving as the stories it tells.