Chubby Cree

About Chubby Cree

Chubby Cree are grandmother and Grandson duo Carol and Noah. Singing by eight months old and having his own drum months later, Noah began performing live at the age of two. For the last few years Chubby Cree has played non-stop around their hometown of Edmonton, at both traditional powwow events and 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 resonate with people from all walks of life.

Carol taught all of her children and grandchildren to drum. She was trained at a young age by her 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 several years Chubby Cree has played non-stop in their hometown of Edmonton, including traditional powwows, 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, in 2019 Chubby Cree played to five thousand people gathered outside the Alberta legislature building, opening for environmentalist Greta Thunberg. That performance attracted national press coverage, and a video of their performance went viral, receiving over a million views.

Since then, the group has gone viral numerous times on platforms such as Tik Tok. The viral fame has not undone the close family bond that exists. Living under one roof with 10 other family members, Chubby Cree regularly practice and perform together. Carol hopes future generations will continue the drumming tradition, so that it is not lost, bringing people together through healing and artistic connection.