Samara Joy Wins 6th GRAMMY Award

February 2, 2026: Samara Joy took home her sixth GRAMMY Award this weekend. The 26-year-old Bronx native won Best Jazz Vocal Album for her latest studio album Portrait (released on Verve Records), capping off a banner year that has also included an NAACP Image Award for the album, widespread critical acclaim, and sold-out performances around the world.

Co-produced by Joy and veteran trumpeter and multi-GRAMMY winner Brian Lynch, Portrait marks a decisive artistic leap for Joy as a vocalist, arranger, lyricist, and bandleader. Recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio, the eight-song collection captures the intimacy and spontaneity of Joy’s touring ensemble, with streamlined sessions that often required just two or three takes per track.

Portrait, Joy’s third studio album, has been widely hailed as a career high. NPR Music called the album “the most jazz-literate album of her career so far,” while Essence praised it as “a picture of artistic independence—one rooted in legacy, faith, and fearless evolution.” In The New York Times, Joy’s “dazzlingly rich and expressive delivery” was singled out as the album’s “star attraction,” and Rolling Stone affirmed her status as “a next-generation leader in jazz.”

Blending original lyrics with music by jazz icons including Charles Mingus and Barry Harris, alongside fresh interpretations of standards such as “You Stepped Out of a Dream” and “Autumn Nocturne,” Portrait showcases Joy’s ability to honor tradition while boldly expanding the language of modern vocal jazz. The album also features Joy’s first original song “Peace of Mind / Dreams Come True,” which unpacks the anxieties she felt in her post-GRAMMYs Best New Artist moment, paired with the gratitude and cosmic optimism of Sun Ra.

Hailed by CBS News’ 60 Minutes as “a once-in-a-generation talent,” Joy continues to redefine what contemporary jazz stardom can look like. In recent months, she has appeared in ELLE’s Women in Music issue, made her sold-out Carnegie Hall debut, guest starred on Sesame Street, made her Austin City Limits debut on PBS, starred in West Elm’s first-ever holiday brand campaign, and more.

Samara Joy’s tour continues into the spring, with upcoming performances in New York City, Miami, Austin, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and more. For all upcoming shows, please visit www.samarajoy.com. 

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