Acclaimed singer-songwriter, Dee Hernandez has carved out a powerful and distinctive space within Canada’s jazz and Latin music landscape. Blending Afro-Cuban and Latin rhythms with Jazz and Soul, her music is celebrated for its rich rhythms, emotional relatability, and a sound that is unmistakably her own. Based in Atlantic Canada, the Cuban-born artist brings a lived perspective of migration and identity to her music, translating her personal history into musical performances that are technically captivating and emotionally resonant. With growing national recognition, Hernandez recently earned a 2026 East Coast Music Award nomination for Global Recording of the Year, adding to a string of accolades across ECMA and Music NB, alongside earlier national recognition as a Top 30 finalist on Canadian Idol. Her voice has reached audiences through CBC programs like Saturday Night Jazz and Marvin’s Room, as well as Jazz.FM91, while earning praise from Canadian legends Jully Black and Sass Jordan. Her momentum extends to the stage, with standout appearances at Canadian Music Week, ECMA showcases, and festivals across the country, most recently highlighted by a sold-out Ella Fitzgerald tribute tour throughout Atlantic Canada, alongside screen work featured in TIFF-recognized projects and on Bell Fibe TV1.
Her single, “Odumile,” is a deeply spiritual and introspective offering, rooted in Afro-Cuban rhythms and lush, layered vocal harmonies that reflect themes of identity, resilience, and inner strength. Written during a period of personal transformation, the track serves as a powerful introduction to her upcoming debut album and will be available everywhere on Friday, April 17, 2026.
About “Odumile”:
Rooted in spirituality, ancestry, and self-reclamation, “Odumile” is a deeply personal opening statement and a ceremonial entry point into Dee Hernandez’s forthcoming debut album. Written during a period of emotional intensity while her mother underwent cancer treatment, the track is anchored in a sense of divine guidance and inner awakening. Inspired by African linguistic and spiritual traditions, “Odumile” is a symbolic title representing presence, purpose, and the unseen forces that guide us. Blending Afro-Cuban rhythmic foundations with multi-layered, choir-like vocal arrangements performed entirely by Hernandez herself, the song channels both her formal training in Cuba and her desire to reconnect with her ancestral roots shaped by the African diaspora there. Built initially as a poem before evolving into a fully realized composition, “Odumile” unfolds as a dialogue – part prayer and part affirmation, grounded in the belief that strength, resilience, and transformation come from within. The track’s rich percussion, inspired by traditional bata drums, creates a grounding pulse beneath expansive harmonies that echo like generations speaking in unison, reinforcing the song’s central message: that we are never alone in our journey. “Odumile” is both a tribute and a beacon, written as a source of light and hope during a dark time, while also marking a return to self, heritage, and truth. Honest, meditative, and emotionally expansive, the track sets the tone for an album that moves fluidly through identity, memory, and healing.
Quote: “‘Odumile” is an anthem of spiritual awakening and cultural pride, reminding listeners that from pain and struggle comes light and creation” – Dee Hernandez
Upcoming Performances
May 30, 2026 – Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia – Windsor, NS – Ticket Link
July 31, 2026 – Beaverbrook Art Gallery – Fredericton, NB – Registration Link
August 16, 2026 – Under the Spire – Kensington, PEI – FREE Show – Ticket Link
Dee Hernandez Biography
Dee Hernandez is a Cuban-Canadian singer, songwriter, and performer who blends Afro-Cuban and Latin rhythms with Jazz and Soul into a sound that is emotionally rich, rhythmically vibrant, and distinctly her own. Now based in Atlantic Canada, her journey from rural Havana to Canadian stages is a powerful story of resilience, identity, and artistic evolution.
In 2026, Dee received an East Coast Music Award nomination for Global Recording of the Year, building on multiple career recognitions including two 2025 ECMA nominations, four 2024 Music NB Award nominations, and earlier ECMA and Music NB acknowledgements. She was also a Top 10 finalist for the New Brunswick People’s Choice Awards and gained national exposure as a Top 30 finalist on Canadian Idol. Media recognition has included features on CBC programs such as The Block, Marvin’s Room, Saturday Night Jazz, and Shift, airplay on Jazz.FM91, and international magazine coverage highlighting her as a rising voice in Canadian Jazz. Esteemed artists Jully Black and Sass Jordan have praised her artistry, with Sass Jordan calling her a “world-class Jazz singer”.
A captivating live performer, Dee has appeared at Canadian Music Week, ECMA showcases, and festivals across the country, and recently completed a sold-out Ella Fitzgerald tribute tour in Atlantic Canada. Her work extends into film and television, with placements in TIFF-recognized projects and appearances on Bell Fibe TV1.
Set for release in September 2026 her debut album traces her journey through themes of migration, resilience, and cultural preservation, anchored in her signature fusion of Cuban roots and contemporary Jazz and Soul.
Connect with Dee Hernandez:
