Carnegie Hall

A native of the Bronx, Samara Joy became entranced by classic R&B as a child and cut her teeth as a singer in her church’s gospel choir. While her family history is deeply musical—her grandparents helmed the Philadelphia gospel group The Savettes, and her father, Antonio McLendon, has produced, composed, and arranged his own astounding original work—she didn’t delve into the jazz tradition until college at SUNY Purchase. During her studies there, she won the 2019 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 on the Whirlwind label in 2021, followed a year later by Linger Awhile, her breakout Verve debut, of which DownBeat 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. A deluxe edition of the album was released, as well as the EP A Joyful Holiday, which took home Grammys for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Jazz Performance in 2025. Her new Verve album, Portrait—which Joy co-produced with veteran trumpeter-bandleader and multi-Grammy winner Brian Lynch—showcases the intimate, soulful chemistry she’s developed with her touring band, already earning her an NAACP Image Award this year for Best Jazz Album. Portrait also spotlights her burgeoning gifts as a lyricist in ingenious arrangements that meld her thoughtful words with music by Charles Mingus, Sun Ra, and her late mentor Barry Harris.