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Artist: Samara Joy
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Samara Joy:

Portrait

“I’m still speechless,” says Samara Joy, reflecting on her 2023 Grammy win for Best New Artist. When the Bronx-raised jazz vocalist, 24, tries to place herself back in that historic moment today, she feels nothing but gratitude.

At the same time, Joy understood then that she couldn’t let the award define her. She still had a lifetime of music to explore, a tight-knit crew of extraordinary collaborators to guide, and a passion for songwriting to nurture. So Joy did what any committed, eternally curious jazz musician would do: She hit the road. For her and her band, a seemingly endless run of sold-out tour dates became a nightly opportunity to reach new creative heights. “I just got back to work, doing what, in essence, got me the Grammy in the first place,” she says. 

Joy’s new Verve Records release, Portrait, is the proper follow-up to Linger Awhile, her 2022 breakthrough LP, and it represents the next phase in her continuing artistic evolution — unbound by expectations. 

Portrait documents the immersive, seemingly telepathic rapport she’s developed with her touring band, which includes musicians she learned the jazz craft alongside while earning her undergraduate degree; in fact, it wasn’t until college that Joy began to pursue jazz singing. On the strength of that cozy dynamic — on the road, "I'm among friends, which explains personal chemistry that translates to our live performances,” Joy says. The vocalist offers an album that both honors jazz heritage while staking out bold, singular territory. Whatever a rote, singer-with-sidemen record is, Portrait is not.  

Samara Joy:

A Joyful Holiday

2X GRAMMY winner Samara Joy is set to release a holiday EP ‘A Joyful Holiday’ next month. The 6-song collection of seasonal favorites is an extension of her latest album Linger Awhile and features a similar cast of jazz musicians - Pasquale Grasso on guitar, David Wong on bass and Kenny Washington on drums - plus Sullivan Fortner on piano. The tracklist includes previously-released singles “O Holy Night” (performed with multiple generations of her family) and “Warm in December,” in addition to a new recording of Stevie Wonder’s “Twinkle Twinkle Little Me” and both a studio and live version of “The Christmas Song.” Produced by Matt Pierson, the EP is set for release on October 27 via Verve and will be available as an exclusive D2C emerald green color variant LP. Pre-order / Pre-save ‘A Joyful Holiday’ HERE.

The holiday EP continues a whirlwind year that saw Joy take home the auspicious Best New Artist and Best Jazz Vocal Album awards at this year’s GRAMMYs. Since her breakout wins, Linger Awhile has reached #1 on Amazon Best Sellers, Billboard Jazz, Pandora Trendsetters, iTunes and Amazon’s digital-music and CD sales, and more. Joy has garnered over 1 million followers on social media, and her tour dates all over the world have rapidly sold out. Her voice, rich and velvety yet precociously refined, has already earned her legions of fans in addition to millions of likes on TikTok — cementing her status as perhaps the first Gen Z jazz singing star.

Samara Joy:

Tight

Two-time GRAMMY-winner Samara Joy has returned with her new self-produced single “Tight.” Featuring Joy with her working band (pianist Luther Allison, bassist Mikey Migliore and drummer Evan Sherman), the track was recorded at the legendary Electric Lady Studios in NYC. Originally written by Betty Carter and a true showcase of Joy’s incredible range, “Tight” has been a fan favorite during Joy’s onstage sets. Fittingly, the music video for the single incorporates both her live performances and in-studio recording session.

The release of “Tight” continues a whirlwind year that saw Joy take home the auspicious Best New Artist and Best Jazz Vocal Album awards at this year’s GRAMMY’s. Joy also released the deluxe edition of her album Linger Awhile, which includes brand new music plus fan favorites like “Guess Who I Saw Today” and “Can’t Get Out Of This Mood.”

Since Joy’s breakout GRAMMY wins, Linger Awhile has reached #1 on Amazon Best Sellers, Billboard Jazz, Pandora Trendsetters, iTunes and Amazon’s digital-music and CD sales, and more. Joy has garnered over 1 million followers on social media, and her tour dates all over the world have rapidly sold out.

With her GRAMMY-Award winning and chart-topping album, Linger Awhile, 23-year-old Samara Joy makes her case to join the likes of Sarah, Ella, and Billie as the next mononymous jazz singing sensation recorded by the venerable Verve Records. Her voice, rich and velvety yet precociously refined, has already earned her legions of fans in addition to millions of likes on TikTok — cementing her status as perhaps the first Gen Z jazz singing star. 

Samara Joy:

Linger Awhile - Deluxe Edition

Samara Joy has announced Linger Awhile (Deluxe Edition) an expanded version of her GRAMMY-winning album Linger Awhile featuring never-before-heard b-sides and alternate arrangements, and Linger Awhile Longer, a D2C Exclusive LP with bonus material. Both editions include brand new music plus fan-favorites like “Guess Who I Saw Today” and “Can’t Get Out Of This Mood,” which Samara performed at the GRAMMY Premiere Ceremony earlier this year before taking home awards for Best New Artist and Best Jazz Vocal Album. While reinvigorating beloved songs and standards for a fresh audience with her timeless, irresistible sound, the 23-year-old is quickly making the case to join the likes of Sarah, Ella, and Billie as the next mononymous singing sensation recorded by the venerable Verve Records. 
 
Since Samara’s GRAMMY wins, Linger Awhile has reached #1 on Amazon Best Sellers, Billboard Jazz, Pandora Trendsetters, iTunes and Amazon’s digital-music and CD-sales, and more. Samara has garnered over 2 billion views on TikTok, and her tour dates all over the world are selling out, including highly-anticipated headline shows at NYC’s Village Vanguard that kicked off this week. Simultaneously, outlets like Vulture are declaring “jazz is back, baby” and notable artists like Sam Smith (https://www.instagram.com/p/Cpifz6rIvEk/?hl=en) are calling her “my favourite female voice right now.” Jimmy Fallon said “unbelievable… she is my jam!” before Samara’s late night TV debut performance on The Tonight Show. Other recent TV appearances include the TODAY Show, MSNBC, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, and Drew Barrymore.
 
Recorded at Sear Sound in New York City by Chris Allen and produced by Matt Pierson, Linger Awhile features exemplary musicianship by Pasquale Grasso (guitar), Ben Paterson (piano), David Wong (double bass), and Kenny Washington (drums). The tracklist is comprised of treasured songs by George Gershwin (“Someone To Watch Over Me”) and Thelonious Monk (“Round Midnight”), and also includes Samara’s original lyrics on Fats Navarro’s “Nostalgia (The Day I knew).” While paying homage to those who came before her, Samara is introducing a new audience to standards several times older than she is with her “one of a kind voice” and “ageless talent” (CBS Mornings).

Samara Joy:

Linger Awhile

Once-in-a-generation vocalist Samara Joy has signed with Verve Records, and will release Linger Awhile, her full-length debut for the label, on September 16. At just 22 years old, Samara has already garnered critical acclaim for a voice “as rich as custard” (The New York Times) and a delivery that is  “disarming [and] unhurried” (NPR Fresh Air), just as she has built a devoted following on TikTok and made avowed fans of Regina King, LaKeith Stanfield, and others. The Bronx native took home the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition prize while still in college and performed on The Today Show earlier this year. Hailed as an “exciting boundary-stretcher” by the  (The Boston Globe), Samara also made her “glowing, auspicious debut” (NPR) at the Newport Jazz Festival last weekend, earning multiple standing ovations in the process.

Linger Awhile finds Samara updating beloved songs with a modern twist, sometimes singing original lyrics using the melodies of famous instrumental solos, a style known as vocalese. Recorded at Sear Sound in New York City and featuring exemplary musicianship by Pasquale Grasso (guitar), Ben Paterson (piano), David Wong (double bass), and Kenny Washington (drums), the tracklist is comprised of reinvented classics including “Someone to Watch Over Me” (George Gershwin), “'Round Midnight” (Thelonious Monk), and “Nostalgia (The Day I Knew)” (Fats Navarro). Linger Awhile not only highlights Samara’s timeless vocals and a musical wisdom beyond her years, it also introduces this foundational popular music to a fresh audience.

Samara Joy:

O Holy Night featuring The McLendon Family

23-year-old vocalist nominated for BEST NEW ARTIST at the GRAMMY Awards®

Verve Records debut album Linger Awhile nominated for BEST JAZZ VOCAL ALBUM

Once-in-a-generation vocalist Samara Joy- nominee for Best New Artist at the GRAMMY Awards® - will leave you feeling festive with her new holiday singles “O Holy Night” and “Warm in December.”

Samara Joy’s latest holiday single “O Holy Night” features vocals by multiple generations of her tight-knit family. Her grandfather Elder Goldwire McLendon, 92-year-old gospel singer who led the well-known Philadelphia-based The Savettes, joins Samara on the classic holiday favorite, alongside her father Antonio McLendon, a gifted bassist and vocalist who toured with the renowned Andrae Crouch, Samara’s uncle Laurone McLendon, and her cousins Tiera Lovell Rowe and Alana Alexander. The track, which was recorded by Christopher Allen and produced by Matt Pierson, also features Sullivan Fortner on Hammond B3.

Samara Joy:

Warm In December

Once-in-a-generation vocalist Samara Joy - nominee for Best New Artist at the 65th Annual GRAMMY Awards® - will leave you feeling festive with her new single “Warm in December.” The swinging jazz standard is yet another example of the 23-year-old’s unique ability to reinvigorate classic songs for a new generation. She’s been called “the silky-voiced rising jazz star” (New York Times), “a classic jazz singer from a new generation” (NPR All Things Considered), and “a jazz purist who embodies generations of great Black female singers across idioms” (Andscape).

Samara Joy’'s “Warm in December,” featuring Sullivan Fortner (piano), David Wong (double bass), and Kenny Washington (drums): 

Less than two months after the release of her Verve Records debut album, Linger Awhile, Samara has added a new credential to her impressive resume: 2x Grammy nominee. Linger Awhile - nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album at the 65th Annual GRAMMY Awards® - finds the Bronx native modernizing beloved songs with her “youthful exuberance” (WRTI) and “instincts that can’t be taught” (Consequence), sometimes singing original lyrics using the melodies of famous instrumental solos, a style known as vocalese. The album was recorded in Samara’s hometown of New York City by Chris