Eleven year old Noah Green with his larger than life voice, and grandmother Carol Powder, have taken the internet by storm. Today Midnight is proud to welcome first nations, Indigenous hand drum group Chubby Cree to the roster.
Singing by eight months old and having his own drum months later, Noah began performing live at the age two. Steeped in traditional Cree music and culture, Carol has taught all of her children and grandchildren, and was herself trained at a young age by her then 99 year old grandfather. "In the future, you're going to be a singer," she recalled him saying. "You're going to help bring these women back to the drum because that's where they belong. Children belong there. Why? Because that's the only time anyone's going to heal."
For the past five years the group have been playing non-stop around their hometown of Edmonton, at both traditional powwow events and as a go-to artist at events in support of women’s rights, the environment and the marginalized of society. Channeling the authentic spirit of Cree music and its healing power to unite people, the group's powerful performances have often brought audience members to tears.
In October 2019 Chubby Cree played to five thousand people gathered outside the Alberta legislature building, opening for environmentalist Greta Thunberg. With that performance the group attracted national press coverage, and the video took off online, receiving over a million views. Since then, the group has gone viral numerous times on platforms such as Tik Tok and Reddit.
The viral fame has not undone the close family bond that exists. Living under one roof with 10 other family members, they regularly practice and perform together. Carol hopes future generations will continue the tradition, so that it is not lost, bringing people together through healing and artistic connection.
Now with the world watching the group has attracted international attention from both fans and the music industry alike. The group recently signed with label and management company, Unbelievably Spectacular, and have been fielding calls from the Ellen Degeneres Show, Little Big People television and “America’s Got Talent”. They’re also heading into the studio with multi platinum, Grammy award winning Indigenous producer David Strickland, best known for his work with artists like Drake, Sade, Method Man and many more.
This is a riveting and heartwarming story in the making; of courage, determination and raw talent, fused with keeping a valuable heritage alive and paying it forward into the future. We will be there as it unfolds.
