Encore: Samara Joy

Samara Joy, who hails from the Bronx, developed a passion for classic R&B as a child and gained her first experience as a singer in her church’s gospel choir. And although her family has a long musical tradition—her grandparents led the Philadelphia gospel group “The Savettes,” and her father, musician and songwriter Antonio McLendon, has produced, composed, and arranged his own impressive original works—she didn’t immerse herself in the jazz tradition until she was a student at SUNY Purchase. While studying there, she won the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition in 2019. In 2021, she released her self-titled debut album, followed a year later by “Linger Awhile,” her groundbreaking debut on Verve. The album earned her a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album as well as a highly acclaimed win in the “Best New Artist” category. With “A Joyful Holiday,” she won Grammys in 2025 for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Jazz Performance.