LOS ANGELES— Samara Joy’s voice has the ability to transform listeners to the early jazz clubs, filling them with warm nostalgia for legends like Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan.
At 25, Joy is a five-time Grammy winning recording artist, whose album, “Linger Awhile” won her best new artist and best jazz vocal album in 2023. She’s been praised by artists like Chaka Khan, Regina King and Quincy Jones and has amassed a large following of her Gen-Z peers on TikTok, introducing a new generation to jazz.
Last year, Joy released “Portrait,” her third and most personal studio album allowing listeners into the tension between excitement and feeling overwhelmed that often follows a whirlwind of accolades and success. Her first original song “Peace of Mind” fully captures this moment.
“I wrote it in a time where I was really questioning whether I could continue or not because I was so exhausted,” said Joy. “I reminded myself through that Sun Ra composition that I have experienced something wonderful, and it doesn’t have to be the end all be all. This is just the beginning … this is just a springboard for all of the other creative ideas that I have and what I feel like I have to offer.”
For Joy, releasing “Portrait” was a creative challenge and a turning point toward trusting her creative instincts.
“It’s taught me a lot about what I can do and to stand firm in the creative vision and the direction that I see for myself,” she said.
Joy sat down with The Associated Press to talk about life post-Grammy wins, how diving into “Portrait” helped her grow as an artist and what it means to make her mark on the classic genre.
