{"id":93097,"date":"2025-12-18T18:23:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T18:23:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/93097\/"},"modified":"2025-12-18T18:23:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T18:23:08","slug":"rolling-stone-puts-track-by-san-antonios-vanita-leo-on-list-of-2025s-best-latin-songs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/93097\/","title":{"rendered":"Rolling Stone puts track by San Antonio’s Vanita Leo on list of 2025’s best Latin songs"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AllSan Antonio original Vanita Leo is ready for the limelight, and Rolling Stone seems to agree. Credit: Anisha Patil<\/p>\n

Rolling Stone magazine included San Antonio cumbia artist Vanita Leo on its list of the Best Latin Songs of 2025<\/a>, capping off a meteoric year for the up-and-coming singer.<\/p>\n

The track in question is Leo\u2019s \u201cLa Cumbia Wepa<\/a>,\u201d a standalone single released in April ahead of her fall EP Cumbiamente.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cCumbia is experiencing a revival, and Vanita Leo has emerged as one of its most promising voices,\u201d Rolling Stone\u2019s Tom\u00e1s Mier wrote of the single. \u201cOn standout \u2018La Cumbia Wepa,\u2019 which didn\u2019t appear on her excellent EP\u00a0Cumbiamente, Leo\u2019s vocals glide over the\u00a0sonidito\u00a0rhythms of Mexico City cumbia before a playful rap verse aimed at Cupid, who \u2018fucked up once again.\u2019 The Alan Vega-produced track captures her embrace of freedom after a failed romance: \u2018Un coraz\u00f3n roto, se cura con otro!\u2019 Leo\u2019s mix of classic cumbia, experimental delivery and a Tejano touch makes the San Antonio-born singer\u2019s \u2018La Cumbia Wepa\u2019 a standout.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leo\u2019s track comes in at number 35 on the list of the 50 best Latin and Spanish language songs of the year.<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t the first time Rolling Stone has taken notice of Leo. In fact, the magazine has featured four of her tracks this year alone. Leo has been a frequent flyer in its recurring rundown of \u201cSongs You Need to Know<\/a>,\u201d where she is listed alongside pop megastars like Lizzo and Halsey. Other than \u201cLa Cumbia Wepa,\u201d tracks of Leo\u2019s the magazine has featured include \u201cPrimer Lugar,\u201d \u201cCabalitto,\u201d and \u201cPutazos Al Coraz\u00f3n.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Rolling Stone isn\u2019t the only national publication taking notice. Billboard has also given nods<\/a> to Leo, explaining in a 2024 article \u201cwhy [she] should be on your radar\u201d:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile the Tejano music scene has seen the rise of acts like Grupo Frontera and the enduring legacy of icons like Intocable, the presence of female Tejana artists has been notably scarce since the days of Selena on a mainstream level. Yet, emerging from San Antonio, Texas, with roots tracing back to Mazatl\u00e1n, Sinaloa, is Vanita Leo, a promising singer who jumped on our radar via social media.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Selena comparisons are easy and abundant with Leo, and for good reason. Leo doesn\u2019t mind the Selena comparisons one bit.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing mentioned alongside Selena is an honor I don\u2019t take lightly,\u201d Leo told the Current. \u201cI see her influence as something that lives within the culture and continues to evolve through new voices shaped by different generations, experiences, challenges, and victories. I\u2019m proud to be part of that ongoing story, bringing my own perspective while staying rooted in the same values of authenticity and community.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Leo is entirely her own entity, and with a decidedly more edgy chola flavor.<\/p>\n

For Leo, everything about her presentation is about unapologetically celebrating her heritage. As she posted as text over a video selfie on Instagram<\/a> displaying large hoop earrings, braids and spit curls, \u201cFashion is political and yes, cumbia is political.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s to seeing what the new year will bring for San Antonio\u2019s cumbia-pop princess.<\/p>\n

Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.<\/a><\/p>\n

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