Samara Joy is a Refreshing Wave of Creativity in Jazz Realm

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Samara Joy, taken by Victoria Allen

Samara Joy is a 5-time Grammy winner, whose music involves warm, rhythmic jazz elements surrounded by a sweet, beautiful range of vocal skill. Warm weather and sweet tea is the recipe for every Texans favorite refreshing comfort drink. I haven't seen anything come close to matching the iconic flavor of Texas sweet tea until I experienced Joy's breath-taking performance at the Moody Theater on April 2nd. Joy's performance was very poetic -- from the setlist to the choice of lighting --, and it felt well organized and intentional. Joy stepped onto the stage in a bold, hot pink dress that contrasted well with the blue, cool ambient lighting that kicked off the show. During her entrance, she was greeted by a welcoming round of applause from the audience. Joy then dived right into her set, with “Peace of Mind/ Dreams Come True” being her powerful opening number. The song was the perfect introduction for performance as it drew a roaring applause for the packed crowd. The lyrics, outfit, and music arrangement worked together wonderfully to aid the story-telling nature that Joy weaved throughout the show. Before each song, Joy provided a clever quip or brief summary of what inspired each one as she transitioned between them. For her second song, she had a smooth transition into her rendition of Sam Coslow’s “Beware My Heart.” Presented by ACL Live at the Moody Theater, Samara delivered a refreshing blend of jazz and soul that immediately had the audience captivated in awe.

The young, inspirational jazz vocalist has made her presence very well known by now. She’s performed at the great Carnegie Hall as well as on the Today Show. In 2021, she released her self-titled debut album under the Whirlwind label. It was the first of many albums to come as she released her second album under Verve Records the following year. She received the Grammy for Best New Artist in 2023, which was the first time in Verve Records label’s 67-year long history. She has been awarded a total of 5 Grammys, which is a major accomplishment, especially for a young artist. She won the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album in 2023 for her second album, Linger Awhile, and again in 2025 for her third album, A Joyful Holiday. She earned the Grammy for Best Jazz performance in 2024 for her song “Tight” and once again in 2025 for “Twinkle Twinkle Little Me,” which featured Sullivan Fortner.

Samara Joy's latest album, Portrait, released in 2024, highlights her ability as a lyricist to produce such brilliant work. Joy collaborated with multi-Grammy award-winner Brian Lynch to co-produce it. This year, Lynch released a new album named Torch Bearers which has a song titled “The Joy of Love” that featured Samara Joy and Charles McPherson. It is a surprising delight to see Joy combine her skills with other jazz artists to create an exciting new album. The song, "You Stepped Out Of a Dream," is a growing hit on the album. The song starts with subtle, relaxing jazz instrumentals but Joy reels you in with a lovely array of vocal range that sends you on a beautiful journey that uplifts the soul. A personal favorite of mine from the album is "Peace of Mind/ Dreams Come True" as it is a wonderful lyrically motivational song that feels very empowering and optimistic. The 7-minute-long song starts with grand jazz instrumentals and builds as the story unfolds in the music. In this song in particular Joy's lyrics feel like an inspiring conversation, backed by a highly impressive display of vocal technical skills. The album is truly a self-reflection of all the skills Joy has honed over the years combined with a style of jazz, blues, and soul that she has crafted and made her own. She is continually working on new music. If you want to hear something more playful, I recommend checking out “Three Little Words,” which is a fun, romantic single with a bounce style rhythm that was released in 2025. The song has a build up to the bridge that I absolutely adore, especially hearing Joy showcase the power of voice towards the end of the song.

I was able to listen and capture a glimpse of Joy’s incredible set, so here are 3 pieces of advice for those that want to attend:

1. Get your ticket as early as possible: Samara Joy has grown a dedicated fan base, that is ready to snag tickets the second show dates are announced. If you don’t want to risk having seats in the back corner near the sound booth, I recommend purchasing tickets at least week in advance. The venue I attended was nearly sold out with seats only available in the back of the room remaining open. Front and center is most people’s desired seating, however Joy’s ability to project her voice makes just about every seat in the house a great seat.

2. Bring friends or family (even if you think they wouldn’t be interested): I, myself, am a girl that mostly loves pop but I’ve tried to remain open to hearing all types of music. I will admit, there aren’t many jazz artists that come to mind, unless I think of big names from the history of the genre like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald or Frank Sinatra. As for the modern era, there aren’t any artists that come to mind - That is, before I saw Joy’s phenomenal performance! While editing, I found myself adding quite a few of her songs to my playlist. To be so young and so accomplished, it is hard not to be impressed by Joy’s captivating stage presence and vocal capabilities. She has unlocked a range of skills that not all artists (I’d argue many don’t) ever achieve. It’s not an easy feat to develop the technical skills required to sing like that everyday. Hearing her voice in person is borderline mesmerizing simply due to the incredible way she is able to articulate each word and belt throughout songs.

3. Purchase merch before the performance: As I was leaving the venue, I had to stop and check out the merch! They had everything from T-Shirts, CDs, and Joy’s most recent album, Portrait, for sale. I noticed many guests entering the show had merch in hand, so I felt the need to see what was available. The merch table was looking a little light by the time I passed by, so I recommend arriving early if you want to shop around a bit before heading to your seat. After the show, there’s a good chance the merch you want may be sold out. HOWEVER, as of today, there is still a lot of merch available on Samara Joy’s website and they have signed CDs and albums on sale. I’m not sure how long the sale will last and some items are already sold out - Don’t walk, RUN over to shop to see what amazing merch you can grab!

As of today, Samara is still in the beginning phase of her North American tour, but has wrapped up her Texas portion of the journey. She played 3 glorious shows in Texas: first up was Dallas, followed by Austin, and ended at San Antonio. The next stop will be in Salt Lake City, Utah at Kingsbury Hall on April 7th at 7:30PM. The tour was initially announced as a Spring tour with the last show stop being in New York City on May 16th; however, less than a week ago, an extended set of dates were released for the fall. Pre-sale for fall shows opened up on April 2nd for tour dates starting in August going on until October. There is still plenty of time to catch one of Samara Joy's upcoming shows. The tour is currently ongoing so be sure to check out her website or Instagram for upcoming performances near you.

Samara Joy, taken by Victoria Allen

About the Artist

Samara Joy is known for creating music that blends jazz and soul infused with emotional blues. The jazz vocalist was born and raised in the Castle Hill neighborhood in the Bronx in New York City. Surrounded by family with a passion for music and inspired early on by R&B and gospel music, Joy first began her music journey in her church choir. She developed and strengthened her music skills at Fordham High School for the Arts and attended SUNY Purchase afterwards to continue her growth. She graduated from SUNY as the Ella Fitzgerald Scholar. Joy has earned many awards during her music career journey thus far, having won the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition in 2019 her junior year and took home the Grammy for Best New Artist in 2023. The Grammy was well deserved with the national attention Joy garnered after the release of her second album, Linger Awhile, back in 2022. Joy's rise to fame has only skyrocketed since then and she continues to tour the world, showcasing her music and vocal skills to a global audience.

At only age 26, Joy has made quite the name for herself and inspired many young aspiring artists world-wide. She is currently four full albums into her music career with five Grammys already under her belt. Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn are two of Joy’s “biggest inspirations,” as she mentioned in an interview before performing at the famous Carnegie Hall last year. Joy’s musical style is greatly rooted in jazz and gospel which gives her songs such a soulful harmony, which she is able to mix well into a modern blues infused jazz style. Samara Joy continues to amaze and is happy to be a part of the legendary roster of jazz vocalists like Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Betty Carter, and Billie Holiday, all of which have major influences on her music, at Verve Records. May her music rise in popularity as she continues to inspire generations of artists and music fans while making historic milestones.