Samara Joy

Samara Joy Few figures in the history of Jazz have experienced a rise as dazzling as that of Samara Joy and even less so at such a young age. At only 26 years of age, her career is already sensational. Winner of six Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist, Joy has become a major presence, with a visibility worthy of the biggest pop stars. Her impact has landed her on major television networks and connected with new generations through platforms such as TikTok. Her performance record speaks for itself: legendary festivals such as Newport, Monterey and Montreal, and iconic venues such as the Apollo, Carnegie Hall, the Village Vanguard and Jazz at Lincoln Center. A native of the Bronx neighbourhood of Castle Hill, she grew up surrounded by music. Her grandparents, Elder Goldwire and Ruth McLendon, led the Philadelphia gospel group The Savettes, while her father, Antonio McLendon, a musician and composer, toured with Andraé Crouch and recorded his own repertoire. As a child she fell in love with classic R&B and forged her voice in her church's gospel choir. Her discovery of Jazz came as a teenager at Fordham High School for the Arts, where she won Best Vocalist in Jazz at Lincoln Center's prestigious Essentially Ellington program. In 2019, she won the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, a turning point that launched her definitively onto the professional scene. Her recording debut, Samara Joy (2021), won over critics with its evocative look at the classical repertoire and extraordinary musical understanding. In 2022 she released Linger Awhile reaffirming her talent for reinterpreting diverse works. That same year he won the Grammy for Best New Artist, a recognition that further boosted his popularity. At the end of 2023 he released A Joyful Holiday an EP of Christmas songs that led to successful tours and culminated in two more Grammys in 2025: Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Jazz Performance. Samara Joy continued to broaden her artistic horizons with Portrait (2024). A work that reflects her growth as a leader and as an artist. Her compositions include the poignant "Reincarnation of a Lovebird", a dialogue between love and ambition inspired by Charles Mingus; and new readings of standards such as "You Stepped Out of a Dream" and "Autumn Nocturne". With each album, each collaboration, each performance, Samara Joy reaffirms her status as a great interpreter of standards and a new great Jazz star, evoking the heritage of figures such as Sarah Vaughan, Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln or Carmen McRae.