Multi-award winning British vocalist, musician, and songwriter Deelee Dubé has achieved a historic milestone, becoming the first artist to surpass one million streams with a slow-tempo vocal ballad interpretation of the Jazz standard “Cherokee” (Ray Noble, 1938). Dubé is also the first British artist to win the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition (2016) – a landmark victory in which this interpretation (with a slightly more up-tempo version) of “Cherokee” was a defining performance.

Long regarded as one of Jazz’s most formidable tests of fire, “Cherokee” has, for 88 years, been synonymous with blazing tempos, harmonic complexity, and instrumental virtuosity. Dubé’s interpretation decisively breaks with that tradition, restoring Ray Noble’s original lyrics and reframing the song as a deeply expressive, lyrical meditation – a love letter to humanity rather than a technical sprint.

Deelee Dubé. Picture by Jacob Blickenstaff

Recorded in 2020 with the Juan Galiardo Trio and officially released as a single in December 2022, the track has grown organically from a festival performance into a global streaming success. As of January 2026, it has surpassed 1, 009, 188 streams, archived independently and without major-label backing.

This milestone carries exceptional significance as the global music industry enters an era increasingly shaped by Artificial Intelligence, algorithmic curation, and data-led discovery. In a landscape where Al influences how music is surfaced, valued, and sustained, Dubé’s “Cherokee” offers a compelling counter-narrative: heritage-based, artistically rigorous music can not only survive, but thrive at scale.

Rather than conforming to trend or genre dilution, the success of “Cherokee” demonstrates how Al-driven ecosystems respond to listener engagement, emotional depth, and authenticity. The track’s growth affirms that Al does not replace artistic intent – it amplifies it when audiences connect meaningfully.

Ray Noble. Picture obtained via Discongs

“In an era where Al increasingly shapes how music is discovered and valued, this milestone reminds us that technology doesn’t replace artistry – it responds to it. The tune reached one million streams not because it followed trends, but because listeners connected deeply with its humanity, its story, and its history”, she said.

Dube’s “Cherokee” has received notable international recognition, including nominations for Best Jazz Song and Best Female Jazz Artist at the 2023 Mzantsi Jazz Awards in South Africa. Critics have praised the recording as a smashing rendition, highlighting her quick-witted musically, sensual phrasing, and deep knowledge of the Jazz tradition.

While several instrumental and genre-blended versions of “Cherokee” have accumulated millions of streams, Dube’s recording occupies a unique position in the digital ecosystem. Based on available streaming data, no other solo Jazz ballad version of the standard has surpassed the one million stream milestone.

By transforming a canonical bebop speed test into an emotionally resonant ballad – and achieving unexpected streaming success in the process – Deelee Dubé has expanded both the creative and commercial possibilities for vocal Jazz within the Al-era music economy.