Leyla Taghiyeva shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Leyla, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
I’m most proud of building a life that allows me to finally focus on my music. Every step I’ve taken led me here, from moving to the United States to balancing full-time jobs and a master’s degree, adapting to the culture and figuring the legalities out, and saving money to invest in my music. And learning how to drive which was kind of harder than all of the other things i mentioned, haha. I am the first female driver in my family/generation and I am proud of that. None of it happened overnight. It took years of planning, discipline, and quiet determination to create stability and the freedom to pursue what I love. Most people only see the final result, but it’s the foundation I built behind the scenes that makes it all possible today.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Leyla Tina, and I’m a singer and songwriter based in the United States, originally from Azerbaijan. I’ve been singing since I was about two years old. Music was always something I turned to for comfort and creativity. As a kid, I used to write poems and little stories just to express what I felt inside. I’ve always been a very artistic person, even though my path also took an academic turn. I have a master’s degree in International Relations and Political Administration, which gave me a broader way of seeing the world and people.
I lived in my hometown- Baku, Azerbaijan for 23 years while traveling to more than 30 countries. I have went viral for my ventriloquist videos with my puppet Dolly, participating in the Voice and becoming a semi-finalist in the Central Asia’s Got Talent.
My music mixes emotional storytelling with alternative pop, electronic sounds, and guitar influences. It’s a reflection of everything I’ve lived through and everything I’m still learning about myself. For years, I worked and studied full time while saving to invest in my music. It took a lot of patience and planning, but now I finally get to create the kind of songs I’ve always dreamed of making. My goal is to connect with people through emotion and authenticity, no matter where they’re from.
I released my first original song “Puerta” in October 2025, feel free to listen to any digital platform you use, and now I’m working on two songs- one in English that I have dedicated to my husband, and another in my mother tongue- Azerbaijani. I am really excited about this chapter of my life.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
You know, watching old videos my mom recorded, I can see myself belting out tunes into a toy microphone, even back then when I was just 3 years old, was convinced that music was my thing. I remember this one moment when my grandma called me by my name, and I quickly corrected her, saying, “Call me the singer.” That promise I made to myself as a little kid still drives me today. But as I got older, I realized that making it in the music world would be tough, especially coming from a small country that hardly anyone knows about. Still, that realization only made me more determined to push through the challenges and chase my dreams, sticking to the pledge I made to my younger self. So, I would say my mom believing in me in every step I take and every decision I make has really helped me in terms of staying patient and inspired in my music journey.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Failing at the knockout stage of The Voice, because I thought it meant I was not good enough, that I should stop singing, and that I would never be appreciated for it. I started working at an office from 9 to 5 and deprioritized music after that. I would still sing at events that I am invited to and I did write a song later that got selected as the anthem of a social media campaign of the European Union. Still, I was not actively trying as now, was not doing my best during that period – was not putting out music or seeking bigger opportunities.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
I see a lot of talented and smart individuals who know their value but sometimes become the victim of their own talent, and I have probably been through that in the past as well. What I mean is that they waste years waiting for opportunities to come find them and refrain from taking risks and doing nerve-wrecking things. The truth is you have to be willing to do the difficult thing to make it, and I’m not saying I have made it, but my goal is to be a better person than yesterday, and I can see my life improve as time goes by and I get closer to my goals. I advise people to stop making excuses and put in the work, even if it goes against pre-held patterns or beliefs.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
Stop scrolling on social media (I am a content creator but I admit it’s not always about work), put more music out, and travel the world with my family.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://leyla-tina.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leylatina.official
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@leylatina.official
- Other: Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/album/6HhRuuN8q1NYXao6TB7D2e?si=S-sJthCGTQ-MMY3xECDmmg
Apple Music- https://music.apple.com/us/album/puerta/1839818045?i=1839818046
