Candles glowing across a front lawn, neighbours dancing beneath the open sky and a cherished voice that follows you everywhere you go. Denver indie pop duo Cherokee Social open their hearts on “Maya,” a shimmering, soul-stirring new single out now that honours the full circle of a life lived with joy, courage and a house overflowing with friends. Written by frontman Julian Navarro in tribute to his late mother, the song wraps dreamy, reverb-kissed guitar around soaring walls of harmony that feel like they could lift the roof clean off the room.
“Maya is a consequence of getting older and realizing that so many of us are afraid to be ourselves and remembering how my Mom used to live before she passed away,” says Navarro. “Maya is about the full circle of somebody’s life.” That spirit of fearless, open-hearted living bursts through the chorus, where Navarro sings, “Coulda danced with my neighbors naked / Snap a picture just to prove we ain’t fake it,” turning a wild, joyful image into a rallying call for anyone ready to shake off their inhibitions and show up exactly as they are.
Remarkably, the entire song came together in one sitting. “We recorded this song in a single session at our home studio with Ableton, one microphone, a guitar, and a bass,” says guitarist Alex Creighton. The towering vocals became the heartbeat of the track, as Navarro stacked layer upon layer of his own voice across every register imaginable, creating an ethereal, haunting choir. As he explains, “the vocal stacks fit perfectly for the theme of transitioning from life into death.” Navarro produced the single and handled vocals and bass, with Creighton adding his gorgeous, glistening guitar work. Vince Chiarito mixed the track and Tyler Lindgren mastered it, giving “Maya” a glowing, cinematic finish.
The emotional centre of “Maya” arrives in its most tender refrain, “I hear your voice when I’m anywhere / I’m scared one day it’ll disappear,” a line that will resonate with every listener who has ever held tightly to the memory of someone they love. The song carries that feeling with grace, transforming remembrance into a luminous celebration of connection, family and the people who stand beside us through every chapter of life.
Listen on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/track/5l9WRiArQppyMiE1tPYCJh?autoplay_ok=1
Cherokee Social are an indie pop duo with the sound and swagger of a five piece. Navarro, who is Cherokee, first picked up drumsticks at just three years old and soon added bass, vocals, guitar and Pro Tools to his toolkit while coming of age in the vibrant Baltimore music scene. His move to Denver sparked a creative rebirth, as he transformed his project Faceless Ones into Cherokee Social and welcomed Creighton, whose electrifying guitar solos and magnetic stage presence sent the band’s live show into overdrive. Guided by a playful credo of “old waves meet new ways,” the pair blend nostalgic warmth with thoroughly modern indie pop sparkle.
Momentum has been building fast ever since. Within months of joining forces, the duo sold out their first headlining show in Denver in January 2024 and went on to share stages with Macy Gray and Fitz and the Tantrums. In summer 2025, they spent six weeks travelling the West Coast, soaking up the breathtaking landscapes of California and Washington while making fans and creating content everywhere they went. Those adventures inspired their debut EP ‘The Garden,’ a collection of meaning-packed, hard-hitting indie bangers drenched in reverb. “Maya” kicks off an exciting 2026 slate of EPs and singles, arriving alongside a tidal wave of new content and live dates across the country.
Fans can catch Cherokee Social bringing “Maya” to life on stage as their extensive North American tour rolls through the Midwest, the East Coast, the Southeast, the Pacific Northwest and California this fall, building toward a triumphant hometown celebration at Denver’s Lost Lake on November 20.
Full dates are below.
Cherokee Social Tour Dates
Sept. 30 Minneapolis, MN @ The Underground Cafe
Oct. 1 Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club
Oct. 2 Brookings, SD @ Royal Tattoo Expo
Oct. 3 St. Louis, MO @ Blueberry Hill Duck Room
Oct. 4 Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen
Oct. 5 Detroit, MI @ Lager House
Oct. 7 Columbus, OH @ Donato’s Basement
Oct. 9 Lakewood, OH @ The Foundry
Oct. 10 Buffalo, NY @ Rec Room
Oct. 11 Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Cafe
Oct. 13 Boston, MA @ The Middle East Nightclub
Oct. 14 New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
Oct. 15 Philadelphia, PA @ Nikki Lopez
Oct. 18 Washington, DC @ Pearl Street Warehouse
Oct. 19 Norfolk, VA @ The Annex
Oct. 20 Raleigh, NC @ Kings
Oct. 21 Salisbury @ Shugs
Oct. 22 Orlando, FL @ Will’s Pub
Oct. 23 Tampa, FL @ New World Music Hall
Oct. 25 Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade (Altar)
Oct. 31 Susanville, CA @ Diamond Mountain Casino
Nov. 4 Eugene, OR @ John Henry’s
Nov. 5 Portland, OR @ Kelly’s Olympian
Nov. 6 Seattle, WA @ BYC
Nov. 9 Seattle, WA @ Fun House
Nov. 12 Sacramento, CA @ Rink Studios
Nov. 13 Los Angeles, CA @ The Three Clubs
Nov. 15 San Diego, CA @ Banshee Bar
Nov. 17 Salt Lake City, UT @ The DLC at Quarters
Nov. 20 Denver, CO @ Lost Lake
https://www.cherokeesocial.com