“Danzón” by Dee Hernandez revisits a cornerstone of Cuban tradition with striking intimacy. Rooted in the filin movement of 1950s Havana, where bolero and jazz merged into a new idiom of romantic expression, the single reshapes that lineage into a contemporary soul framework. The slow tempo, pared instrumentation, and tender phrasing place Hernandez’s voice at the centre, carrying both Cuban resonance and R&B inflection. Produced by El Tata, the arrangement touches on Afro-Cuban rhythm but stays understated, giving space for the vocal timbre to hold the emotional weight.

Born in Cuba and now based in Canada, Hernandez has developed a sound that draws on Afro-Cuban heritage while intersecting with North American soul and funk. Her trajectory has already marked her as a key figure in the regional music landscape: three East Coast Music Award nominations, four Music New Brunswick Award nominations, and, most recently, 2025 ECMA recognition in the Global Release and R&B/Soul categories.

The new single also frames Hernandez within a wider creative moment. “Danzón” appears on her EP Pa’ Que Lo Pruebes, a release that opens out towards her forthcoming debut album. It signals both continuity with Cuban filin and a step into a personal vocabulary shaped by artists she cites as influences, from Celia Cruz to Amy Winehouse. The closing fade, where voice and rhythm dissolve into quietness, underlines its dual role as both farewell and renewal.

You can stream the single and lerna out more about Dee Hernandez’s music HERE