Samara Joy Celebrates Brazil’s Musical Legacy on New Single “Flor de Lis (Upside Down)” Ahead of South American Tour Dates

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Samara Joy Celebrated in EBONY’s Second Annual Black Music Month series, STAMPED 

5x Grammy Winning Jazz Vocalist Continues Meteoric Rise with Global Tour

The Bronx-born jazz sensation continues her meteoric rise with a string of major accolades and career milestones. Her latest studio album Portrait offers a snapshot of Joy’s growth since her GRAMMY Best New Artist win, not only as a once-in-a-generation vocalist but also as a lyricist and band leader. In February, she earned two more Grammys at the 67th Annual Awards, winning Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Jazz Performance, bringing her total Grammy count to five. Shortly after, she was honored with her first NAACP Image Award, crowned Outstanding Jazz Album for Portrait, which she co‑produced alongside Brian Lynch. This Spring, she was a featured guest on the new season of Sesame Street and was featured in ELLE Magazine’s Women in Musicissue, which you can read here.

For Black Music Month, Joy is featured in EBONY’s STAMPED, the second annual list of “The Headliners” shaping cultural conversation, alongside FKA Twigs, The Weeknd, Glorilla, Coco Jones and more. EBONY praises Joy’s once-in-a-generation voice, which “echoes legends yet feels entirely her own.” See the full list here.

Joy’s global tour, which recently included her anticipated sold-out Carnegie Hall debut in her hometown of New York City (photos via Rolling Stone here), will continue throughout the Summer and Fall. Joy is keeping fans in the loop on her touring adventures on socials, sharing a gorgeous performance in front of the Eiffel Tower hereand a hilarious “GRWM” featuring a voiceover by two of her bandmates here. Please see below for all upcoming dates, and visit https://www.samarajoy.com/ for more information.

Samara Joy 2025 Tour Dates

June 27 - Ottawa, Canada - Ottawa Jazz Fest

June 28 - Montreal, Canada - Place Des Arts - Maison Symphonique at Montreal Jazz Festival

July 3 - Vienna, Austria - Wiener Konzerthaus

July 5 - Chantilly, France - TSF Jazz Chantilly Festival

July 6 - Hamburg, Germany - Elb Philharmonie

July 7 - Montreux, Switzerland - Montreux Jazz Festival

July 9 - Karlsruhe, Germany - Tollhaus

July 11 - Copenhagen, Denmark - DR Koncerthuset

July 12 - Rotterdam, Netherlands - North Sea Jazz Festival

July 14 - Perugia, Italy - Umbria Jazz Festival

July 19 - London, UK - Royal Albert Hall (with BBC Proms Orchestra)

July 27 - Santiago, Chile - Teatro Nescafe 

July 29 - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Teatro Coliseo

July 31 - Sao Paolo, Brazil - Teatro Cultura Artistica

Aug. 2 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Vivo Rio

Sept. 26 - Beaverton, OR - Patricia Reser Center for the Arts 

Sept. 27 - Beaverton, OR - Patricia Reser Center for the Arts 

Sept. 29 - Seattle, WA - Moore Theatre

Oct. 1 - San Diego, CA - Humphreys Concerts by the Bay

Nov. 11 - Philadelphia, PA - Miller Theater 

Nov. 14 - Carmel, IN - The Palladium

Nov. 15 - Madison, WI - Wisconsin Union Theater 

Nov. 18 - Chesterfield, MO - The Factory

Nov. 19 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall

Nov. 21 - St. Paul, MN - The Fitzgerald Theater

Nov. 22 - Kansas City, MO - Folly Theater

Jan. 24, 2026 - Grand Cayman - McBride’s World at Sea

May 16, 2026 - New York, NY - Geffen Hall 

About Samara Joy

A native of the Bronx, Samara Joy became entranced by classic R&B as a child and cut her teeth as a singer in her church’s gospel choir. And while her family history is deeply musical — her grandparents helmed the Philadelphia gospel group the Savettes, and her father, the musician and songwriter Antonio McLendon, has produced, composed and arranged his own astounding original work — she didn’t delve into the jazz tradition until college at SUNY Purchase. During her studies there she won the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, which introduced her to the larger jazz scene as a rising star to watch. She was heard, by audiences and critics alike, as a masterful interpreter of jazz standards and a rightful heiress of the sound, technique and charisma that defined her jazz heroines — including Vaughan, Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln and Carmen McRae.

Joy released her self-titled debut on the Whirlwind label in 2021, followed a year later by Linger Awhile, her breakout Verve debut, of which DownBeat said, “With this beautiful recording, a silky-voiced star is born.” The album earned her a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album in addition to a headline-making win for Best New Artist. A deluxe edition of the album was released, as well as the EP A Joyful Holiday, which won two Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Jazz Performance (“Twinkle Twinkle Little Me” feat. Sullivan Fortner).

Her latest Verve album, Portrait, which Joy co-produced with the veteran trumpeter/bandleader and multi-Grammy winner Brian Lynch, showcases the intimate, soulful chemistry she’s developed with her touring band. Portrait also spotlights her burgeoning gifts as a lyricist, in ingenious arrangements that meld her thoughtful words with music by Charles Mingus, Sun Ra and her late mentor Barry Harris. 

Connect with Samara Joy:

Website / TikTok / Instagram / Facebook

Press Contacts:

Allison Elbl (Shore Fire) - aelbl@shorefire.com 

Taylor Perry (Shore Fire) - tperry@shorefire.com 

Erin Ryan (Verve Records) - Erin.Ryan@umusic.com 

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