Leah Turner

laid out for her. Not to get all like hippy to being like God and all that, but seriously like she is such a testament to her faith and is following her heart, believing in herself. And her dad said, the best thing when someone tells you know, you flip it around and you turn it to on, and that means game on. This is going to happen. And that is Leah's fighting spirit. She said, such a journey here, she has her stories, amazing. Get excited, Leah Turner in

the hissing, I'm so excited to be here. I am so excited to be here in your amazing house that your dad made everything. Yeah, my dad owned and number one furniture business like in the world. So he did, like, what's it called. What's it called, Mueler Turner Company, Mueller, Mueller, Mueller who Okay, Mueller Turner Company. And it's in California, in like Yuca Valley area, and he did, like, I don't know that. Quincy Jones's home, uh Selein Dion's home

in Vegas is my favorite of all times. She's my number one. Her and Michael Bolton has literally gotten me through so much sitting in the car like repeat, legit, judge me like this. Yes, I'm telling you, I die fersonally. And then we need to know her. They met her, but like didn't like I mean, you know, he's he's

working there, you know what I mean? Building house looks like he did this really cool like, um, there's a like you know, you have like a thing like this at the bottom of your bed, like I don't know what it's called, like a wooden like a thing, wouldn't thing like a thing? And then you push a button and the TV pops up. I would have it right in front of your bed. It's like far out. It's really fancy, a fancy oh my gosh. Okay, So Muler Turner company. Everyone. If you need furniture, do they ship?

What's all custom? Okay, So if you live in l A and you want awesome furniture there, you're they yell people, they yelp people, they yell people. I'm like, I'm taking my beanie. Excuse me, an operator. Okay, So we got to talk about you because something I love most about you is your belief system. And I personally want to know how you got to this because you've had a wild journey started to from the beginning. First off, you have a huge voice, like you have this monster voice.

You're a total bombshell. You have incredible breast. Sorry, You're like, oh my god, and like you know, I'm just trying to hug you everywhere. I'm just saying to me, like you got the full package going on here, and you've got a killer personality. So how did you come into this journey from l A? And you have that? You could have gone probably rock if you wanted to, but you got a country. So just start at the beginning.

Where did we're now this all come for gosh? I mean from the beginning, beginning or just what I've always been singing since I can ever ever remember since I was you know, I wrote my first song when I was six years old coming home from church. Um, you just got inspired to sing? Yeah, well, my best friend

was leaving and so I just wrote this song. I don't even know if I can remember it, but it was something like friends or friends forever, like just like Mama said, And it was something about like Jesus binds our hearts together. We're together and I love you, don't leave. But you know, yeah she moved, but we're still very close. But um, so I've always always, always been singing since I can remember, and guitar lessons and piano lessons and voice lessons and you name it. If it had anything

to do with music, you're doing it. I was in it. My mom just really encouraged and pushed me in it. So cut to going to college, went Stanta Barbara and all my classes started taking songwriting classes, and then a guy in the songwriting class, the final was whatever song got picked, I would sing in front of a celebrity guest. And that celebrity guest was Kenny Loggins. Yeah, because he

has a home in Santa Barbara. Okay, And so then my song got picked and he was like, I'm not telling you to drop out of school, but I'm telling you to drop out of school to pack out stuff and get out of here. If Kenny Loggins says that, how old were you? Yeah, I was nineteen. I was in college. He's like, girl, you don't need to scoop, okay, right, So you took his advice. So I took his advice. Called my parents and that was the next logical move was l a because that's you're so close where else

you do music, right? But there? So I called my parents that I'm dropping out and they were like, cool, we'll send up the truck. Your parents are cool. Yeah, well they've always believed in it. You know, how awesome are you to have parents that aren't scared of your talent and are scared of you chasing it or the failure, like and like when you fail, you get back up, like it's always like all right, well that door didn't open.

Well let's keep going, you know. And they never wanted they never were worried about you having like a safe job or something. They're like, you go there, do it. I remember my dad said, we will make this dream happen if we have to go to our last square of toilet paper. Yeah, and I'm about there. Amazing, because if you don't have a dream, and if you don't have people believing in you, then what do you have?

I mean, I'm sorry, it's not like such a you have nothing, but you got to go for nothing, you literally and you had support because it's so scary to chase a dream. I remembered up. I had a cheap Cherokee at the time, and I remember I left because Kenny Logan said you a loud So he gave you that one conversation and you never talked to him since,

have never. I actually came full circle because I'm signing to William Morris Agency and he signed to William Morris and so Rob Beckham um took me backstage and I you know, and here I am like, this is so cool, and take me on tour. Can I come from? You know? What did you say? He was just very gracious. I'm sure you know stories happened like that to him all

the time. You know. He was very gracious and was just like, well, you know, I'm glad it's working out, you know, because if you tell somebody that and then it doesn't forget and you've ruined my life Kenny logging, and now I have no house, no nothing, you know. So he was like, I'm glad you have a house right in her house. Everyone we're here, but you know it could have gone another another way. UM So anyways did that and then um, you know, God is so

good that I had a chance encounter with um. I'm Vertigo Gautica's wife who is partners with David Foster, and so I recorded five sides with David and you just rant you just became friends with her. And then she's like, you gotta meet my Well we were um at, me and my mom were at a restaurant in Beverly Hills and um I was a server at the time, and they didn't realize that I was a server, and so one of the other guys sent it over free dessert and it was because he was a bust er at

the place I was working. And so she said, why do you get free dessert and we don't, and I don't remember what I said, but um, I said, well we can share with you, not realizing who they were, and then she liked the tone in my talking voice because you have a really good thank you, thank you. People would say, maybe I should be a sex operator. How can give me a call? I'm gonna be a sexer. Hello, I'm calling because I really need some love in my life. Well,

what can I do for you? Is there anything else that you need? Tell me your problems? Oh my god, you have a huge business. I mean singing voice sex operator. Hey, what can I do for you? I mean mine just sounds like a joke. No, no, Once, I'm my friend from high school called my mom a guy and my mom's like, hello, you've reached. She has the same voice as I do. She's like, hello, you've reached Susannah. And I can't get to the phone, so leave a message and I'll get back to you. And he lets a

message and call me. Girls, I feel like I should have just paid your mom to do that. I mean this agreed with you know, you just were born with this, always have had, just like a lot of my aunts have raspy voices. And to be such a bombs crazy do you have to carry the taser with you? You don't come marry anyone. I know, I know what you like what you're seeing here, but listen back. No, no, no, but yeah, we all have these raspy voices, so singing

doesn't work out. Operating sex operating Well, okay, so she likes your tone, so she likes my tone. And this is David Foster is who to her again? No, um emberto Gautica, this is in Berto Gautica's wave, and emberto Gautica is David Foster a long time producing partner, like they've done Whitney and Michael Bubley and um Trash Grogan. I mean, it's just random, super rand. That's how God works out. That is how God works out. My mom calls them god sidences. God sidences. Love it because they

are not randy, are not random, but they feel feel random. Absolutely. So she said, well, are you a singer? And I said, I am, you know whatever, blah blah blah blah. Um, well, if you're any good, here's my address. She sent me her address, her home address, home address, Yeah, Beverly, Beverly Gautica. And um so my mom was like, you send that demo. I don't care. I was like, Mom, everyone's husband somebody in something like, she's probably lying, you know what I mean?

Well she wasn't, and I sent it in a week later, I was up at David Foster's house, Yeah, in Malibu, and like recording and what were you recording? Well, we I had written songs, and so they took me into this place called record Plant, which is like a really awesome studio in l A. Like everyone records their Lady Gaga justin Bieber, anyone even country when they come to record there. I mean, that is the place. It's kind of like ocean way here. So UM went up there

and you record your recording, your own songs. So you meet this person, she like your voice, and she's hooked up to the two like biggest music people. And then they're like, oh, next week, just come up here. Let David Foster record five songs that you wrote when he just met you, like legit like and I didn't even have good songs. I didn't even realize that I was going to Um David Foster's house, Like Amberto just said here is the address because they had their studio there

and come and meet us. And so I was like okay, and so Um I went and you had to go through like he doesn't live there anymore, but you had to go through like two gates. And I'm not kidding you. Und I was like what, like it is so massive that there was a trolley that took you from the main house down to the pool. No joke, you like got in it and like went down. It was insane. And then I think they said that the front yard is like three football fields or why so are you

like jaw on the ground? Yes, girl, I was like, you're driving up there in my jankie geep place. I think, are you like by yourself? So what in the world are you? Can you speak? When I would literally just like oh my god. So then I go in there and why did they were they looking for a girl to sign? Where they were looking? I know they just said that they would like to just they just liked my voice and I had four songs that um I sent over to them, and they weren't looking for anything.

I don't know what they were doing. This is what okay, I don't know. That's you know, that's insane. It's insane. It's insane. It's really come to the house and let David Foster because and then so then I get there and like I see all. I mean it is like from lord to ceiling of like every record you've ever thought of and listened to from like the Tubes I think that was their name, to like Donnie McClerkin to

like Toto to Whitney to Barber Strikes. I mean like you're just like what And in the room that I recorded in like did the vocals um it is where he has his piano and he had like this mic that dropped down or whatever. Like you're literally standing in there with like the tapes of like The Bodyguard, like yeah, because it was old school and you know, because that's how they recorded. And I'm like, I mean I literally like there was a moment when I was just like

I just need a moment because I didn't. I didn't like I was like, this is surreal. It's like why is this even? Why is it happening? It's like this is true. Yeah, So I didn't realize I was going there and Metamburdo there and then I was in there kind of just like singing over some stuff, you know, like he like played down some chords or whatever and just to hear how it was in the studio and whatever.

And then he goes somebody wants to meet you, and I was like okay, So like I walk out and it's David Foster and I was like, okay, like that's crazy. So we did. We recorded four songs that I wrote. No, no, no. This was over a course of like I say, a couple of months. So what was their vision with you? Like,

why did they say they wanted to? They just really liked my tone and there was nobody like my towne except really pink um that so they just wanted to and see what was what they could come out of. Because he also David also has a record label with Warner Brothers. It's called One for three Okay, so they were just like gonna have musical creativity and see what happened to see what. They literally just love making music and they loved your town, so let's create. Let's do it.

Yeah that's kind of beautiful. It was really awesome because that's truly for the sake of the art, right Yeah, yeah, I don't even love that. I don't know if they were looking for somebody, I don't, I don't know anything. I just know that, like, yeah, I was there, Okay, it was happening. So two months or so, you recording and then I got him back in just wasn't me, It wasn't did they were they crazy about him, Yeah, I mean they thought it was great, but I was.

I remember pulling into my driveway at the house in West Hollywood and I said, called my dad and I said, I am not Barbara Strikes, I am not Michael. This is not me. And so I had to go and say, like, this isn't me. You went and told David Foster, and I don't I can't say that. Other guy saying, Berto, Katika, you wouldn't told them when you literally and you have nothing else going on, right, nothing, nothing, nothing like I was serving at Master of Steakhouse in Beverly Hills. But

you wouldn't turn down, you said, I politefully decline. Well, I didn't say like that. I was bawling, crying, like how crazy and I this and and I just love you guys so much, but you know, like literally, but how crazy that you knew we're gonna have some on that note, cheers cheers to you. But how crazy that you knew to stand up for your sound at that point. Because break this down, because this is a trip that

happens a lot of people. Yeah, get hooked up with really powerful people and then they change their whole vibe. They changes are sound. They change everything, and they're usually the person is so young and green, like I was green, and they're like, okay, well shoot, if they say to do it, then I just need to do it because

this is my only shot. But not you know, I just also know that they kind of like and this is nothing because I am still I don't talk to I'm not close to David Foster at all, um, and not because any bad blood, just but different ways in different ways. But I'm still close to emberto Um and he's incredible. He's chile In. He has a really thick um you know, Latin accent and very fiery, and he's such a good looking older man. Holy mom, like salt

and pepper. You're like, okay, um. But there was a little bit of times, like when I was in the studios, like can you clear up your rasp a little bit? Can you? So it was they wanted to slick me a little bit, which is what they do and it's beautiful and it's amazing, but like I'm refined, I'm not slick, you know, I don't want to be. I don't want to be slick, you know. Um. But it didn't in there and they said, what do you want to do,

And I said, I want to go to Nashville. I think you know, how did you know you want to go? I don't know why. Well, because my dad's a cowboy. He's a professional team rooper, so he like, I was raised country. You know, I can ride you know, barrow rays like my dad's been in the road. Country girl, I mean, yeah from California. You know the West is wild.

Do you feel like you are could be the new Tanya Tucker but with a huge range like she obviously you got Tanna Hast, but she has that Do you feel like you who would be your inspiration of country us because you have such a huge range? Though that do I do? It's speaking. I was trained to opera in Santa Barbara, so that's why I learned to really do that. Um jeez. I always say that if Pink and Shania Twain could have had a baby, that would

be me. Mike. You know, I is sassy, but she's really refined and really sweet, you know what I mean that you can swallow it. And Pink is a heck of a singer and she's just kind of like a boy, you know what I mean. But then she can tear your heart out with a ballad. And so if I could put those two together when you say kind of like a boy, just mean like she just has that energy where she's an unapologetic yeah and just and she's

not she's not really like soft and so womanly. She's beautiful and she stands for being a woman and um, that's awesome. But she and I like the way that she kind of like puts her middle finger to certain situations. She does it very smart. It never sounds angry to me. It sounds like I would have said that, you know, like you in your hand tonight, like stop buying me drinks? You're going home alone? You know who would have thought you in your hand tonight? You know? Do you know

what I mean? She says things very smartly and she doesn't care trying smartly. That's a word, it is smartly and she but she's getting her point across. She's like, listen, yeah, I don't yeah, like I can buy my own drink and you're going home with your hand because yeah, I'm not looking to get yeah, you know what I mean? Like, and I love that she stands in her authority of who she is, and that's that's amazing to be able to do that, you know, it is amazing. Yeah. Why

is that especially hard for women? Do you think? I hopefully you know? Um well I never thought being a girl meant that I couldn't do something until I moved to Nashville. Okay, break that down. UM, I don't know. I just always I mean, my dad just always was like, I mean, there's nothing could do, like you know, you he all of his brothers had boys and I was the only girl. And it was like put around the horse show, go you know what I mean like that, it's just you just you just go, you figure out,

you do it. Just it doesn't matter what happened in Nashville, you know. I mean, it's just hard to get Um. I think there's such a different way of thinking is you know, women shouldn't have as big of a voice. You can have a voice, but if it's what voice is told to you to have sometimes um. And I've been blessed to be so supported by country radio and UM to get the record deal that I got. You have just I got a deal straight with Sony right after the David Foster thing. Yeah, well no, that was

I moved back to I moved to Nashville. Um, about four years later I signed my deal. Um, I feel like my looks were chat do they look chapter? Look great? Beautiful? Awesome? Thank you? Um. I yeah, I moved. I signed my record deal when I was so Um that was four years ago. Um. So I moved here four years later, maybe four and a half, um, and was blessed enough

to get it really fast. Okay, So finish your thought about why it was hard for women in Nashville, and then your experienced you know, I mean I've been blessed saying I got a deal really fast. Whatever. But you um, it's hard. It's hard, you know, because you're on the road, you're doing this, you're doing that, and we do have different needs, you know. Um. And I think it's okay to be a woman and be delicate, you know, it really is okay, Um, but sometimes that's taken not okay,

it's it's more of a burden. You know. It's easier, excuse me, it's easier to have you know, the guy that throws on the baseball cap and the T shirt and roll out. Well, we can't do that. So I'm up at four o'clock in the morning, but on my lashes but niket sealer, you know whatever, because there's a little bit of a different standard that's help for us, you know, and it's easier to not have to, um, you know, have five bags when a guy brings a duffel bag, you know what, you know what I mean.

So I think sometimes we get um type casted as maybe just a maintenance or a diva or something difficult, when really you're just doing what you gotta do to look great. Yeah, do your best performance is your best football? Yeah, you know, I'm just trying to Like I think we're all just trying to keep up, you know what I mean.

And we got a little bit more keeping up to do because you know, we can't roll in with the baseball cap, because if we do roll in with the baseball cap, it's like we don't care, you know what I mean. And that's not the case. But I might ask didn't want to be up at four UM all the time putting on lashes and putting this on, putting that makes sure my hair is always like some days I literally just want to be in a baseball cap

and tennis shoes and a T shirt. And I still have as much passion about the song or their single or their radio station that we're going to whatever, as any other you know person just sometimes it just sucks. So if there was a little bit of grace I think shown uh in those situations that it's not we we do we we we we we, it's a little bit more work, you know. So tell me about how you got your record or how that happened and what that was like, because it was like lightning for you,

and right after that was the women's starting. When you got your deal, right after is like right after okay, So explain to me how your deal came about and what that looked like for you, how I felt, and then this women's movement that's happening, because it's kind of huge right now. It is. It's huge, and it's a it's a blessing. It's kind of awesome. Um. So my attorney, Jeff Pieterman Um called Jim Katino and it was he

and R Sony Yeah, the VP A and R SONI. Yeah, Um that he had a female that you know, he thinks that I really he really needed to hear. And so I walked into Katino's office with my EP aready that was really sun SONI already written because I had been coming back and forth working with Jesse Frasier, Karrie Barlow, and those two are huge hit makers. Jesse does like all of Thomas rhet stuff. Carry has written every every Sun and also Jesse runs rock Nation now that Nashville

um wing for Jay z Oh dang go Jesse. Yeah, all right. He started off in wishing, Isn't that funny? Gave me my internship, he got me started. It's crazy how you evolve. It really you stick around. People just evolved and if you don't give up, yes, you can't. Cannot give up. And also I think another thing too, it's not only about not giving up, but it's also about maintaining a positive attitude because there are times that I just want to punch stuff, you know, like I do,

because it's just not right. No, it's frustrating. It's like what the heck? Like, you have all the talent, you have the fool package, you have a song, but what and then you see something else that makes and I'm like, how do they make it? Yeah? But you know, I mean everything has its time, Okay, Jesse, Jesse, you're writing them. You've been coming back and forth to Nashville, back and

forth to Nashville. Um, I was engaged, Lord almighty, oh my god, but you just tell me one thing about engagement. Near death experience happened, right? Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I think it's for him, not for me, yea, for him crazy. He's he was a pro snowboarder and just an adrenaline junkie. He's good dude. He's married now. But so I came sat with the meeting, um played like just some work tapes and like fumbled around on the guitar and Katino said, um, I want to sign you to Sony just like that.

That's what dreas are made of. Shoot, I mean this voice you have is something else. Just to get that to get signed on the spot. But Leah, honestly, to have to get signed on the spot, that does not happen. Even when people get signed. It's like courting many meetings, many showcases, and then it gets signed. To get sign on the spot, your voice is something else. Thank you? So were you like? Well, I I said, are you eff and kidding? You? Did? I did? I just said,

are you eving kidding me? And he was like no, is that something that you know you think you would want to do? And I would is like, yeah, so I'm not kidding. So then, um, it really happened. It was really crazy. Um so then hey, I mean I cannot even believe that happened to you. Yeah. So then we were I was the quickest signing to Sony in twelve years. Wow. Yeah that was the quickest one years. I didn't ask, I didn't care. I was like, take

the title, will take the title. I got it. Um And then uh so then we went in to start making a record and Jesse Fraser came and Carrie Barlow came and, um, you write the whole album. You've already written it basically. Well, we we cut twelve songs and then just an EP came out, but you know how that goes like five to six five. Um, so we did that. But like when we were in the studio because like the songs were coming out so good, and there was such an amazing buzz about me, which is

like such a blessing. Yeah, you came in town with a big, big, big buzz. Yeah. Um that to they, A'm not kidding. We were in the Studo just cutting demos and Katino said, because there's three labels Understny, there's Columbia r C in Arista. So I was not assigned to a label yet. Okay, so I was just signed to Sony, but I hadn't been placed into like my chambers. And for all those people listening, the three different labels means that there's a head label, head guy who runs

all three labels. But then each individual label has label has his own president, its own product motion staff, its own team. So there's three different teams under Sony. So if you're on Arista, then you really it's a totally different experience than if you're on Columbia, but they're all Sony. Just for someone else who wouldn't know exactly. Yeah, I'm just recording. I'm just like, holy crap, this is crazy.

Um so we're doing that and then um literally Katino gets a phone call and he says, um, well, we're upgrading these two masters and we're making a record. And all of us were like, what what the master means? It's like quality to go on an album, Like, it's album quality. So you're like, oh my gosh. Yeah, And I can't forget to mention Rusty Gaston and this music. He's He's incredible positivity for days. Oh my God one of my biggest champions. I wrote for him in this

music for three years. Um, and he was such a champion and such a song guy that I'm so grateful that I had him in my corner during this time. And I still talked to him like, hey, rest, like what do you think about that? It's like what do you think? You know? So? Um, But anyways, we were in there and Rusty was there, and Jesse and Carry and Jim Katino and um we were Magan a record and so we did it. And literally I was already on radio tour, you guys, and I had not even

signed the dotted line. Why was it happening so fast? Usually gift to wait forever? The music was, I don't know. She said it would all line up. It was Jesus okay, So what what happened? So now you're on radio tour radio tours, wing across the country, talking to every radio station, every every like I didn't even know there was this many radio stations, and God's greeners. It's kind of awesome

because you get to see the whole country. You could see the whole country, and I got to meet some really amazing radio people that I've been blessed to still keep contact with and like, you know, really cultivate relationships with them. Um. And you know they gave me my first top forty single that you know, you dream of being on the charts and that, and so that garnered me to be able to um open for you know, Brad Paisley, I was on the road for with him.

Would you learn seven months like almost the full year? Well? Yeah, what do you learn from being on tours? How how does he do life? Like? How does he do his road life? And what did you take away? Yeah? Well what I learned from Brad is um, how to treat your opening acts? How does he treat you? Oh gosh, way he treats people is you know, we had run of the whole stage. Um, we could use the big screens. It's like he basically allowed us to put our best

foot forward. Um, and which in turn makes his show better, you know what I mean. But sometimes people don't want the opening act to be just as good or better or whatever, you know what I mean. And the opening exactly exactly and he literally I mean, we had I mean full stage, all the you know things in the back. We were allowed to put big banners of our names UM that and he you know, had amazing caterine. His staff was always like, what can we do, how can

we help you? What's this? What's that? Um? You know you're wanted and let you know that you were wanted and welcome. UM. And then he did really cool things for us, like he um rented out a go kart thing for all of us and had it catered and so we just after playing we read road go carts until five they am you know with him, he U renting out a whole movie theater for us and it was just sets and paid for everything. Like we just walked up to the place and they just gave us

our whatever snack we wanted. He just wanted it to feel like a family. Yeah. And the coolest thing that he did um the last night, the last day of the tour, UM, they all said, you know youve got to get on somewheread Brad's bus. Um. I rode Randy's bus because I was with Randy Houser and Charlie Worsham where the other It was so much fun, so much fun, UM. And we were able to go and see Air Force one and literally walk the plane and see where the

president sleeps and like all these different things happen. Brad, Brad, when you're Brad bas the sky is open. His friends with the president. Yeah, because he had just went I think it was Obama, um that he had just went with Obama to Afghanistan. Yeah, a force one. Oh my gosh. Yeah. Okay, so you have this amazing tour singles. Everyone's excited about you. You'reing what happens because then my ask got dropped? But how did that happen? Because you could hear the biggesod pity?

How could it go from that to getting dropped? Well? How trying to figure it out now? And how do you process? Lord? Lots of lots of How'm gonna be? Okay? And therapy, lots of one lots of Okay, just take a deep breath, just go to the jam journey. This is part of my journey. Okay. I'm going to accept this and I'm going to you know, turn it into a positive. Remember Land, there's there's a blessing. Yeah, I swear, I swear there's a blessing. Yeah, yeah, it's true. It's true.

You know what happened and what happened? What did you do? Well? I was only signed for eight months, but it was a huge sign. It's like, oh, it's crazy, we're so excited about you, we can't sign you fast enough. Sign yeah. Um. And then Gary Overton, who was the president of the Nashville office, Uh, he got let go. So it was a regime change that is, oh you got you got caught change. So he don't realize that can really affect

an artist's fate. Oh my god. Well they wanted to, you know, keep me, um, but the next person doesn't believe in you in the same way, and you lose your champion. It's just a different song. And that's what Katino said. He sat me down. He said, nothing's coming out on you for twenty six weeks maybe. But before they were like, couldn't get you because they didn't have a president. He was like, we don't have a president. Um, I think they didn't have a president for almost eight months. Okay.

So Jim was going to act fast and just get it out there because he knew that you were going to go. So he's like, I'm taking this opportunity to get you out there, get you out there. Um. And then they I mean they dropped me. Sarah Evans, Jared Neman, the Swan Brothers and somebody else all in one spoop. How did that make you feel kind of better? Actually? Tell me why had it gotten bad? So it was good? How long was it good? And when did the switch happen?

What did the switch feel like? And then what did it ever? Since I got signed? There m there was rumors that Gary was getting fired. Um, but it it made me feel better. Not because you're happy that other people are getting dropped, but those are some amazing artists that I just mentioned that have had number ones and incredible careers and still have incredible careers and are still relevant. So to be catapult or to be um, you realize it wasn't about you, right, It was about this. It

was about the situation. And that's why it made me feel better, because like, if it was just me, I would be like, you know, like holy crap, you know, but it wasn't. And you know, Jared's gone off to be with Curb and staying with Love and Death, and Sarah's just Sarah and she can you know, she's ye with ray Lyn and Calie Shore. So um, that's why it made me feel better that it was It wasn't about the talent talent it or the songs or you know that it was a situation. Yeah, so that happens

to so many artists. People just would never know. They're like, what happened, And that's what happened a lot, that's what happened. And so I had two choices, you know, I was pushed off of a cliff, you know, um, and I had two choices and that was fly or sat. And so I just you know, there's been times that I've had to, um take some breaks of flying because my

wings are tired, you know. And I think that's good to realize what you need to take a break, because if you push when you're tired, you may end up getting something that's not You could hurt yourself or someone else or everyone or everyone might fail if you if you fly, you're tired, you gotta take a break. I gotta take a break. But good for you. You know, it seems to me that you're very good at listening to yourself. I'm getting better. Um, I'm definitely getting better.

And this Sony experience really helps me, you know, to really just look within. Because regardless if it was like only the regime change or you know, it had nothing to do with me. There's always something that you can take from it, you know what I mean. And really, you know, it sucks, and you have to see that there's beauty in the breakdown. And so that's what I'm learning to see. And you know, I have an amazing, amazing agent, Richard Rodgers, and she kept me on the

road for the last four years, which is amazing. So you've been playing shows. You've never stopped playing shows. This is my first summer, this last one that um I had haven't been on the road. So you even when you're I had that thing, she kept me rolling figure it out, just to not get lost in the land of Leah up here, you know what I mean. You know, Oh gosh, I know my land of Caroline is insane.

I have so much therapy on this head, I'm telling you, like, and there's times, you know, I'd stay up late at and and you can't shut your mind off, you know, and then you sometimes can create fake stories in your said. That's what I started to realize, Oh my god, just because you have a thought I am. I no longer allow myself to piece together thoughts that I've made up unless it's true. I cannot fact unless it's fact. If I'm just piecing together speculation, even if I have strong speculation,

I'm like, no, it's still still yes. You're still an assumption, still an assumption. You might as well not ruin your life by stup. It's true, it's really really true. And so and you do you get lost in land of what if? You know? And that's the word different. You know what this would have changed? To this change? I would have done this, And it's like, you can't, you can't. You have to iron curtain the past. You you can't

do anything. I mean you can. You can't change what you didn't do, but you can change it now here. So learn the lesson and then don't keep you know, don't punish yourself. Don't keep punishing yourself. You know what I mean? And what did have you learned? And what did you change? Well? What did I learn and what did I change? Because I feel like you are in your zone right now? Maybe took a little break of flying. What did you do when you took your break? Well

it was really cool. Um, I never stopped working, you know, like I was always on the road. Um, I was always you know, writing and doing things and I got, you know, Rusty got me two outside cuts with a Universal artist. And then a girl I think we had like a six week number one, um gosh, what is her name, Christy lamb Uh in Australia. She wrote a song or cut a song of mine called bad habit Um and was number one for six weeks. That's amazing as pretty cool. And then this girl, Vanessa Marie Carter,

she's look her up, you guys. She's so beautiful. Oh my god, she's so pretty. She's a Canadian artist on Universal and Mickey Jack cones it's producing it. So she just released this song bless my Heart. Um that it's not a sweet song. It's like bless my heart because I'm breaking all the rules like forgive me what I do on Saturday, forgive me on Sunday. So and I wrote that with Jesse and Hillary Lindsay and Carrie Barlow.

That's a dream team. Yeah. Well I actually cut it on my EP um and then she gave it another life. So she's so cool. Um. So I took a break kind of out of writing about myself, um and writing and getting in other people's skin, which was really awesome. I needed a break. I did I did. I needed a break from me. I needed I did. I needed a break about talking about myself. I needed a break about analyzing, analyzing, do I feel this? What's this? What's that?

And then I had an amazing opportunity last Christmas, not this one, but seventeen I would think, right, this is e don't don't don't. Okay, not this Christmas. But the Christmas math is not my thing. I literally I'm like what I count on my thing? Years say oh it's so bad because we're creative, Thank goodness, that doesn't have to be our job counting, because I would really be bad. I would be humeless. I mean we'd be screwed. Oh laurd I maybe, um so an amazing opportunity to um

write this actor. His name is Jeremy Renner. Who is that? He wasn't? Have you ever seen the hurt Locker? Um, you haven't seen the hurt Locker? You want a bunch of I'm gonna embarrass myself. I'm so not in the loop of what's happening in the Avengers. Okay, I haven't seen that either. At least you're honest. Anyways, he's a very easy's like watching Golden girls like my Bed on Netflix, and I'm like watching friends like one things that make me feel happy. My brainds too fragile, same same thing.

I can't put seven there. I can't. Sometimes sometimes I'll watch like a movie and then I'll have to watch something happy. You can sleep like this is us kills me. I can't. I can't. It's breaking my I can't this way, but just you should start. It's really that great. That's what everybody's saying. I'm like, alright, but it's yeah, it's heart ranging, it's heart ranging enough, heartrenching. I'm just trying to do with my own heart red stuff, trying to

get through today, heart raging. I'm just trying to get through anyway. Um. So Jeremy is, you know, an acclaimed actor. He's been um in all the Adventures, Mission Impossible, hurt Locker. He's a big wind river. He's won um a couple of oscars. Um. He's really yeah, he's I mean he is an A list yeah yeah, yeah yeah. Um. So he's this incredible singer and a friend of mine was like saw that I was in town. It was like

managing in l a, managing his music career. And so he was like, you know, I got this artist that I would love for you to write with and didn't tell us who he was, and I was like, all right, cool, Like, So I drove up from my parents house in um Palm Springs to l A and we sat and wed. He wasn't even there. They didn't even tell us. I just trust this guy because he's a pretty big manager. And um sat down and he played us the music and I was like, oh my god, who is this.

This guy's voice is insane and he said it's Jammy Renner. I was like the actor. He said, yeah. So we spent a week. So my girlfriend Leanna, you know Leanna crazy, She's so fun. She's that bunch is crazy. I'll say it. I love her. She's crazy, she's a she's a really she's a good good agree with it anyway. So we spent six seven months at his house in the Hills writing his whole entire record with him. Is he single?

Did you try to date them? Two? I mean, shoot, might as well was making one stop Shop Shop he hit single and no, no, we did not date. We did not date, and he was like and moving on. We did not date at all and we did not do any matches, dancing or anything, nothing, But I do love him and he's become like a very very I is it hot in here? I gotta look him up. Okay, well, look he's really cute. Wrote his whole so I wrote his whole album. Um, and they're just picking like the

songs to come out. I mean we, I think we you and Leah wrote na NA I always get mixed we and everybody gets his mixed up to me and Leanna wrote it with him, did you all too? Well? He wrote two of the songs UM with us, but then he just when he met y'all, like John just stuck with you guys as his writing team. He didn't even try to go like I mean, he was writing with like Diane Warren and like all these crazy people. He could write with any anyone, anybody. But he loved

the dynamic of YouTube. Y'all have it. And that happens sometimes though, when people get together, they formed this energy and you can't quite explain it, but almost like marriage or best friend, you know it is, you just connect and for whatever reason it works, and it might not ever be that way with anybody else, anyone, different combinations. Yeah, I mean, I definitely do we we really we really really really did. Um So I stayed in California for like six eight months and um did that. So that

was really therapeutic for me as well. Probably nice to be just working on someone else's project, but getting to be yourself because obviously are getting really getting knowing know each other really well, writing really real stuff well. And it's also you could say whatever you wanted because there is no box, and so it was really nice to be able to and it really stretched me as an artist of the honesty that was coming out of him um,

and it stretched me as a writer. You're like, oh, shoot, he had a list Oscar winning actor and he's being this honest and this raw and this real to us. So it doesn't really even freaking know, you know. I

mean we were like instant you know, bond. But um So, then you know, I did that and that was therapeutic and it allowed me to get out of a box that I didn't even realize maybe I was putting myself in because in the national box it is a little especially for female which I've never adhered adhered to do and that's why you're going to be a superstar when you never when you break through every Oh my god, yeah, well thank you. Um and then I was going freedom.

You gave me freedom and I could rest but working. But like I was, I was flying on somebody else's wings. And that allows you to just and that allowed me to chill yourself. Yeah, you're still focused, busy. I'm still working on you know what I love and you're growing and you're growing, you know, And um, so I did that. And then how God works it really is. I mean, I never thought in my life that I would have like you know, but that's a random, huge thing that

how did you? Again, like all these things are so frank, that is so good, Like the Lord has put such an amazing you know, favor on my life. I you know, I just but you say that even though you've had huge heartbreaks, and I think that's why. But I think that's why there is favor on your life because you choose to see the blessing when really, I feel like a lot of people are blessed, but they don't see their blessings. They get stuck in their burden, and you don't.

I really and I have to attest that to my mom and dad because it's very like my dad would always tell me, Um, when someone tells you know, you look at them and turn that sucker around to on and you figure out another way to do it. And that's always what I've done, Like, okay, you've always been like I've always been like, oh you said no, you just turn it on. Cool. I see you at the top, buddy, and figure out, like I will climb over a while.

I would suck myself in again, you know what I mean, Like, I'll figure out how to get there, you know what I mean. Yeah, that's what he's always said to me. Like someone tells you know you you turn it around and flip it on, and that means you have just turned me on, not in that word no, but like you flick the switch and I'm gonna show you why.

And that's why I think, like, um, I even I remember resting when when I got dropped and he said, Okay, you need to mourn this and you need to take a break and blah blah blah blah, and I was like, mmmm right, And I told my mom. She was like, you are not gonna mourn and take your break. You know your ass is gonna be on that phone, Like okay, So what's next? Like where are we going? What are

we doing? You know? So he was like really. So I was quiet for about a week and then I called him and I was like, I need to keep writing and I needed to like I just need to keep going going, and I gotta push, you know. And

it wasn't that I couldn't handle the silence. It was that I'm not going to crawl into a hole and give up in a disappointment because the Lord is giving me a gift and I've been blessed to be able to have um success in it, you know, even though it's hard and it's bumpy and it sucks, but you've been given confirmation, huge confirmation along the way. Yeah, this is your this is what you're supposed to do. I'm God's like, I'm going to make you chisel it because

it's it's chipping away to get it. You wanted to be a rough but you still got a chip off some of the dirt. Absolutely get to get there, to get there, so you've just been going to chipping. Yeah, I'm chipping. I'm chipping away so called chip. Where you are, well, if you're in the best place you've ever been, I am I do I do. It's um, I just feel like even though I don't have a record deal right now, I don't even have a publishing deal right now, exciting,

it is exciting. It's scary, as I'll get out. But tell me your new approach to because even though you walk into meetings now, it's totally different, and that is to be only a woman who has been through the fire can have the confidence that you have, Like, tell me what you're saying. Well, I've just been like so for the last year, I went through a massive heartbreak and like couldn't like shake this guy like you went

through a breakup. I just went through a breakup and I couldn't shake them, and you know, blah bla blah blah. So I just really now went deep inside and just really came out with this new ep of vulnerability, but also um, not just being vulnerable, but knowing who I am, what I want to say, and like the pictures that

I've taken and the song. I've done it all on my own, which is another confirmation when people are starting to reach out and being like oh my god, this song or this this, you know, these pictures, this is amazing, Like this you know doing it all on your own is letting yourself be yourself. Right. So now what I've learned is and I kind of always have known this. I've always known who I am as an artist and as a person, you know what I mean. Um, sometimes I'm so confident in who I am. It's like, is

this bitch arrogant? And I get out and I'm really not. I just I know who I am and I standing who I am, and and that's amazing it is. And I get scared, and I get nervous, and I get you know, cry at home, you know, like some mornings, I just wake up and the other morning, and then I'll tell you what I say the But the other morning, my mom called and she said, what are you doing? Listen? Well, I just got done yelling at God, telling him, telling

him you know what I expect and my expectations. And I said, and I got so into it, Mom that I had to apologize. She was dying. I had to say, and lord, I mean, this is all coming from my good place. I'm just really frustrated. So I'm sorry for yelling at you. But this is what I want, you know, why, you know, like I have enough character, like I'm ready. Yeah,

I'm chipped away, jeez, you know. Um. So anyways, it's true, but um, and going through all of that stuff, I've walked in being able to say even more confident with the the reaction that's come from this EP from people. You know, even Jim Katino is setting up meetings on my behalf, the guy that sigh me and let me go,

you know what I mean. And we've maintained such an incredible like Rusty and Jim Contino and Jeff Peterman, my attorney, your team, your original They make me cry whenever like they talk to me or I mean literally they make me cry because I know it makes me cry. Now from them, it's just such a place of they want you to succeed. They they believe in me. I mean

the they all. I don't write for Resting anymore and I don't obviously not sign of Sony, and they still the doors open for me to say, what do you think I should do? Well? This music? Is this what we'll go here, We'll take you here. It's so incredible. So that's so encouraging that now I can walk into meetings and say, look, all I want is a team that is going to enhance me and not try and change me, because I know who I am, I know what I want to say, and I got your attention

from doing this on my own. And I'm not saying I'm not gonna listen and I'm not gonna take wisdom, but I need you to like, let me be me and enhance me. Don't because if you if you can't, and that's in any relationship, even with a husband or friends or your boyfriend, like there should not be a change. Of course, you make adjustments, you know what I mean. Obviously no one knows everything to mold into remising to get better and work together. Who worked together? But you

know your core? You know, you know your core. And when you know your core and you find that husband or that best friend or that partner for that team that surrounds you and enhances you, you know. Because I don't know everything. Shoot, I'm still trying to figure out, you know, but I know who I am, and so you're not going to compromise. Because if you say every time that you have compromised, it hasn't worked. It hasn't worked, It hasn't worked. Just um, I don't even remember how

I said it, but I mean, it's fake. It feels fake every time mold into what someone told me, or you know, be a little bit softer here, be a little bit harder here, or you know, stand this way, or you know, wear this or don't wear that, or do this. It's always never just it's never been effortless. And now because I didn't have anyone telling me what to do, which I don't mind being told what to do, but I was able to just kind of feel it out and stand in my own that it was effortless.

And then that's when there's when it's effortless. That's when people can react because people since desperation and they sense fake, they sense fake, you know, and they feel it in their gut. And that's all anybody. And that's what's so beautiful about music and the gifts that you know, we've

been given, even you, I mean have been given. I mean you really started music started your whole life and you know with lipstick, um, yeah, you know, it's led you to this, you know, and it's like you always just look at that road and those roadblocks and whatever that it's just gonna take you, you know somewhere somewhere else. Lush you are non negotiable about who you are though I have to I mean I have to be and and if I'm if, if, if you're if you're not,

it's just it's not gonna. It may work for a second, but it's not gonna. But it's not. It's not going to withstand. It's not classic, it's not you know. And it was just really awesome to be able to just say screw, I'm gonna put your going to walk away from a record deal. If someone says I want to sign you but you needed this, you're willing to say I can't. But because I can't, And not that Sony tried to change me or anything yet I didn't, you know, maybe maybe not. I mean, I'm still sassy as I'll

get out with that whole record. I mean that is all still there, But um, I feel like it's a little bit more refined. Um. I feel like it's a little bit more articulated. UM. And I learned in the

last year. Um, you know, because everyone thinks I'm a badass, and I am a bad as I am a badass, but also the true definition of what a badasses is being able to be vulnerable and say I am not Okay, I need I need some help, know, And that's where that's the part of Badasst I came to is um seeing the beauty and the breakdown and being like, look, I will clean your house if you help produces a record for me. I will I will cook dinner. You know, I will do whatever it takes. You need some you

need some help. You can't do it. You need a team. You need I need a team. You know, you need the right team, the right team. You need the right team. And you know what does it say teamwork makes a dream work? So you need the right team. And I'm

assembling that now. And the support that Nashville has still shown me because they haven't turned their back on me, which is really amazing, because that can happen very This sounds very fast, like you know, once you're out, like moving on, moving on, But they haven't, you know, because you have something so special. Thank you. I really appreciate that. And I'm just grateful for you know, the Lord, and and that I'm getting a second you know, a second chance.

You know what I mean that people are still taking meetings with me and answering my phone calls and not like you know how you know how they do right, but you're also fearless in yourself right now, which I think is the greatest blessing this whole journey. And if it brought you to this, how truly Not to be cheesy, but like what a blessing I mean it is. And I always say being dropped from Sony was a massive blessing, you know, because it gave me a platform um to learn.

It was, you know as boot camp and and now I'm ready for the final round. Okay, to wrap up. I can talk to you forever, honestly, Lea, You're so inspirational. I'm so impressive where you are. What's your EP calls so people can go get it. It's just self entitled Lea Turner and it's on iTunes, Spotify, and then the video just premiered on CMT World Premier. So Leslie Fram has been like, what's your single? Oh my god, it's so amazing, Sleep you off, Sleep you off. Leslie Fram,

who runsing has the biggest advocate for women. Oh my god, she's insane. She's insane. So yeah, that's it. And then I have a show at the basement um like an EP release, which is really scary because I'm doing it out by myself. It's gonna be. But the basement January fifteen, six o'clock, not January February, February February. There's those numbers, you know. So the day after BALI February fifteen, Basement East,

Basic basement, because I wanted to feel that intimate. Yes, it just felt really good to intimate, vulnerable, the basement, intimate. Leah is letting it all hang out, yeah, but still being brave. You know, there's bravery in being intimate. So anyways, being being intimate is the most brave thing it is. It's scary as hell, though, but it's gonna be. This

is gonna be such an exciting year. I cannot wait to see how it all comes together because I know now that you have committed to yourself and you've given it up to the higher power. You're also like picky about who you're picking on your team, Like God is going to symble something great for you this year. I cannot wait not to receive it. I received it hands in the air, but from now to the Lord's ears, I received it. So this whole thing has been inspirational.

But I wrap every interview with leave your light. So just leave inspiration things, something that you wish you would have known when you were maybe that you wish you would have known now that you just learned, or that you told your younger self, or something you've learned about the struggle, or just some inspiration to share with all

those people. Yeah, all y'all listening. UM, I think it's you know, we kind of covered it, and it's really just being a badass or somebody that goes out there and and fights and pushes and never gives up, never give up one but to um, it's okay to say I'm not okay, and in that that's the most badass thing that you can do. Um, And that's the most brave thing that you can do, to say, you know what, I'm scared, but I'm gonna do it because God's got me and so I don't know, be a vulnerable badass.

Lantern dropped the vine. Oh my gosh, this is your year. You're amazing. Thank you so much, Thank you. I appreciate it. How freaking inspiring is Leah Turner. I am so excited to see her future and music where she ends up. Because she is on her path. She has figured out who she is and this is going to be an epic year for her. So excited, loved having her join me and no, she just lit you up inside. You'll be watching for her music. Leah Turner Everywhere two eighteen.

Thanks for joining, Love you guys, Peace,