Few figures in jazz history have experienced the kind of meteoric success that vocalist Samara Joy has, especially at such a young age. At just 25, her career is nothing short of sensational.

With five Grammy Awards to her name, including a Best New Artist win as well as an NAACP Image Award, Joy has achieved the kind of profile typically reserved for pop celebrities. Her visibility has made her a steady presence on network TV and a favorite among younger music fans, particularly on platforms like TikTok, where she’s helped introduce timeless American music to new generations. Her performance history reads like a who’s-who of the most legendary venues and events in jazz, with appearances at the Newport, Monterey, and Montreal Jazz Festivals, as well as iconic stages like the Apollo, Carnegie Hall, the Village Vanguard, and Jazz at Lincoln Center. 

Joy’s rise has been accompanied by rave reviews. DownBeat called her breakout Verve Records debut Linger Awhile “a beautiful recording,” hailing her as “a silky-voiced star,” while The New York Times described her as a “rising star.” NPR referred to her as a “classic jazz singer from a new generation.” With each performance, she has earned a reputation as a masterful interpreter of jazz standards, drawing comparisons to her legendary jazz heroines, including Sarah Vaughan, Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln, and Carmen McRae. 

A native of the Bronx’s Castle Hill neighborhood, Joy grew up surrounded by music. Her family’s musical legacy runs deep: her grandparents, Elder Goldwire and Ruth McLendon, led the Philadelphia gospel group the Savettes, and her father, musician and songwriter Antonio McLendon, toured with Andraé Crouch and recorded his own work. As a child, Joy was captivated by classic R&B and honed her singing skills in her church’s gospel choir. Her journey into jazz began in her teens, while attending Fordham High School for the Arts, where she won Best Vocalist at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s prestigious Essentially Ellington program. 

After graduating as valedictorian, Joy studied jazz at SUNY Purchase, where she connected with a talented group of instrumentalists who would become key collaborators. While still in college, she won the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, a victory that catapulted her into the spotlight and marked the beginning of her professional career. 

In 2021, Joy released her self-titled debut album on the Whirlwind label, impressing critics with her evocative approach to jazz standards along with a deep musical connection and understanding. Her follow-up, Linger Awhile (2022), showcased her exceptional ability to interpret a diverse range of songs, including Ronnell Bright’s “Sweet Pumpkin” and Fats Navarro’s “Nostalgia.” That same year, she won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist, elevating her public profile to new heights. Soon after, she appeared on shows like The Tonight Show, The Late Show, and Today.

In late 2023, Joy embraced her roots with the release of A Joyful Holiday, an EP featuring updated renditions of timeless holiday classics alongside her talented McLendon family. The EP was followed by successful holiday tours in both 2023 and 2024, culminating in two GRAMMY Awards in 2025—Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Jazz Performance—at the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards. 

Just a year after her first Grammy win for Best New Artist, Joy also released the inspirational track “Why I’m Here,” co-written with PJ Morton, which was featured in the acclaimed Shirley Chisholm biopic Shirley on Netflix, starring Regina King. 

In 2024, Joy’s artistic growth continued with the release of her album Portrait, co-produced with Grammy-winning trumpeter Brian Lynch. Reflecting her growth as a musician and bandleader, as well as showcasing her deep rapport with her touring band, the project earned an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album in 2025. The album features her own lyrical compositions, including the stunning “Reincarnation of a Lovebird (Pursuit of a Dream),” a beautiful meditation on love and ambition built around a Charles Mingus tune. It also includes several reimagined standards like “You Stepped Out of a Dream” and “Autumn Nocturne.” 

“I’m still very much a student,” Samara says. “So this is only the beginning… there is much, much more to come.”