Grammy-Award winner Samara Joy became entranced by classic R&B as a child and cut her teeth as a singer in her church’s gospel choir. And while her family history is deeply musical, she didn’t delve into the jazz tradition until college. In 2019, Samara won the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, which introduced her to the larger jazz scene as a rising star to watch. She was heard, by audiences and critics alike, as a masterful interpreter of jazz standards and a rightful heiress of the sound, technique and charisma that defined her jazz heroines—including Vaughan, Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln and Carmen McRae. Joy released her self-titled debut album in 2021, followed a year later by Linger Awhile, her breakout Verve debut, of which Down Beat Magazine said, “With this beautiful recording, a silky-voiced star is born.” The album earned her a Grammy award for Best Jazz Vocal Album in addition to a headline-making win for Best New Artist. In 2025, Joy released A Joyful Holiday, which took home Grammys for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Jazz Performance.
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