When Samara Joy sings, the entire world stops. Tension dissipates, shoulders loosen, and serenity appears to be within grasp.
The 23-year-old has a timeless and contemporary sound, merging old-school jazz crooning with the R&B performers she grew up listening to.
She is not yet a household name, but those in the know recognize her. And only last month, the Grammys awarded her the best jazz vocal album and, more importantly, the prize for a best new artist.
Previous recipients of the latter award include Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrguez, among others. Joy had to defeat chart regulars Latto, Mneskin, and Wet Leg to win.
A month after the ceremony, while in London, she recalls the moment Rodrigo opened the envelope and read her name.
“My eyes were closed and I was clutching my younger brother’s hand; when she called my name, I was like, ‘Oh, shoot!’
Adele, Lizzo, and Taylor Swift all supported me, so I was extremely flushed and completely humbled.
When she reached the stage, though, a terrifying realization hit in.
“I’d forgotten my phone,” she chuckles, “so my entire speech was just there on the table!”
After hesitantly improvising her thank-yous, the evening drastically improved.
“Beyoncé congratulated me after the performance, which was absurd. How could I be in the same room as Beyonce? And she is aware of my existence? It’s simply insane.”
Yet, Joy should be accustomed to getting honors at this point.
She has already won the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition and the Ella Fitzgerald Memorial Scholarship despite beginning jazz only five years ago.
Her voice is warm and lilting, lingering over notes as if she were savoring a fine wine, and boiling with emotional intensity.
Matt Pierson, her producer, and the manager advised her to “imagine that the microphone is the ear of the person who is listening to you.”
She also has the unique ability to make the lyrics of an old standard sound like they were pulled from her diary.
It is a method that causes confusion among jazz aficionados unfamiliar with the repertoire.
“People are raving about your song, Guess Who I Saw Today.” And my response is, “I wish it were mine!” She says of her latest track, which was initially made popular by Nancy Wilson.
“Others are like, ‘Wow, I didn’t know about that song before, and its backstory is fantastic. It amazes me that individuals connect with it.”
Born Samara Joy McLendon, the vocalist was raised in a church-centered home in the Bronx, New York.
“My parents were really guardians. My father drove us to and from school, took us to church, and we never went to the mall or did anything like.
She consumed teen novels (“the less popular, cheaper ones”) and competed in creations with the computer science club at her school.
Nonetheless, music was always present. Her paternal grandparents, Elder Goldwire, and Ruth McLendon were one of Philadelphia’s most notable gospel groups, The Savettes. Her father was a bassist who traveled with gospel legend Andraé Crouch.
Joy also attempted the bass, but singing was her true passion.
“When I had an iPod Nano, my father would transfer songs for me. I recall loving the music of Lalah Hathaway, Jill Scott, and Stevie Wonder, as well as the Disney Channel. What about High School Musical? This is me.”
When she listened, she would analyze nuances such as phrasing, timbre, and vibrato to determine what distinguished one performer from another.
I would attempt to copy everything and ensure that I paid close attention.
The following morning, there were 4,000 views of the film. Four days later, that number had increased to one million, with Tony Award-winning actress Audra McDonald among those complimenting her performance.
Joy created a GoFundMe campaign and raised $8,000 (£6,500) in order to finance her debut record.
Produced in two days and published by UK label Whirlwind Records, the self-titled LP received wonderful reviews for its intelligently-selected compilation of jazz classics, which harkened back to the golden era of interpretive vocalists from the 1930s through the 1960s.
The singer, who drew her strategy from Cécile McLorin Salvant, explains, “I was adamant about focusing on songs that no one else covered or that were extremely rare and that I could make my own.” (“She has an extensive repertory. When she sings them, though, the songs make perfect sense.
Joy realized throughout the album’s tour that she had relied too heavily on one facet of her artistic image.
“Most of the songs in my set were melancholy, so I wanted a love song that wasn’t too cheesy.”
Can’t Get Out Of This Mood, previously sung by Frank Sinatra and Nina Simone, is “about the jittery feeling you get when you’re falling in love,” according to the artist.
“It is extremely optimistic and encouraging. I thought, “We can add this to the set to alleviate the agony!”
This became the centerpiece of her second Grammy-winning album, Linger A While, along with Guess Who I Saw Today, a tale of an unfaithful partner told with nail-biting narrative tension.
Like with her debut, Joy self-funded the recording before licensing it to the legendary jazz label Verve Records, demonstrating that her knowledge of jazz greats extends beyond their music.
“My mother and I watched a number of movies on the exploitation of musicians, the history of artists’ lives, and negotiating these business ties,” she admits.
Following the Grammys, there will be a fierce bidding war for her third album. But having witnessed the glitz of “music’s biggest night,” she is wary of fame.
“I saw several celebs I’ve only seen online, and I was like ‘Wow, you’re real!’ But, I would not want to be in their position.
“To be admired and placed on a pedestal? It seems challenging.
“So, I’m thinking, ‘I’m cool, I’m cool. I will return home, ride the subway, and stroll the streets as normal.”
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