New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Three-time GRAMMY winner Samara Joy was profiled on CBS News 60 Minutes last night (Sunday, December 22). The 25-year-old Bronx native, who recently earned two new GRAMMY nominations for her holiday collection, sat down with 60 Minutes correspondent Bill Whitaker to discuss her musical upbringing, her meteoric rise since taking home the auspicious Best New Artist Award in 2023, her latest studio album Portrait, and Gen Z's new-found love for jazz.
Whitaker and the 60 Minutes crew had backstage access on Joy's Portrait Tour and A Joyful Holiday Tour. In addition to the interview with Joy, Whitaker also sat down with her father Antonio McLendon (a gifted bassist and vocalist who toured with the renowned Andrae Crouch), her 94-year-old grandfather Elder Goldwire McLendon (beloved gospel singer who led the well-known Philadelphia-based The Savettes), and nine-time GRAMMY winner Christian McBride.
Earlier this year, Joy released her new studio album Portrait on Verve Records. The collection offers a snapshot of Joy's growth not only as a once-in-a-generation vocalist but also as songwriter, lyricist, arranger and band leader. NPR Music calls Portrait "the most jazz-literate album of her career so far," while VIBE Magazine describes it as "eight tracks guaranteed to not only impress, but change the way we listen to modern vocal jazz." Listen to Portrait (out now) below:
Last month, Joy earned two new GRAMMY nominations for the 67th GRAMMY Awards - "Best Jazz Vocal Album" and "Best Jazz Performance" - for her holiday EP, A Joyful Holiday. The collection of seasonal favorites, released last year on Verve, features multiple generations of Joy's family, plus Pasquale Grasso on guitar, David Wong on bass, Kenny Washington on drums and Sullivan Fortner on piano.
Joy, who wraps her A Joyful Holiday Tour tonight in Philly, has several confirmed shows for 2025, including her Carnegie Hall debut on April 30. Please find announced dates below and visit https://www.samarajoy.com/.
Samara Joy 2025 Tour Dates:
Feb 5 - Berkeley, CA - Zellerbach Auditorium
Feb 7 - Los Angeles, CA - Walt Disney Concert Hall
Feb 11 - Tokyo, Japan - Blue Note Tokyo
Feb 13 - Sumida City, Japan - Sumida Triphony Hall
Feb 14 - Takasaki, Japan - Takasaki City Theatre
Feb 16 - Seoul, South Korea - Mapo Art Center
Feb 19 - Shanghai, China - Shanghai Center Theatre
March 7 - Caen, France - Theatre De Caen
March 8 - Coutances, France - Theatre De Coutances
March 10 - Lyon, France - Orchestre National De Lyon
March 11 - Lucerne, Switzerland - KKL Luzern
March 12 - Geneva, Switzerland - Victoria Hall
March 14 - Amiens, France - Maison De La Culture
March 15 - Paris, France - Grande salle Pierre Boulez - Philharmonie de Paris
March 17 - Toulouse, France - La Halle Aux Grains
March 18 - Marseille, France - Le Cepac Silo
March 20 - Metz, France - Arsenal
March 22 - Antwerp, Belgium - De Singel International Arts Centre
March 23 - Utrecht, Netherlands - TivoliVrendenburg
April 30 - New York, NY - Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall
May 3 - Boston, MA - Berklee Performance Center
May 4 - East Greenwich, RI - Greenwich Odeum
May 11 - Germantown, TN - Highland Capital Performance Hall
May 13 - Nashville, TN - Schermerhorn Symphony Center
May 15 - Niagara, Canada - Central Niagara
May 16 - Toronto, Canada - Massey Hall
May 18 - Cape May, NJ - Exit Zero Jazz Festival
May 20 - Ridgefield, CT - The Ridgefield Playhouse
May 22 - Orlando, FL - Dr. Phillips Center - Steinmetz Hall
May 28 - Dallas, TX - Majestic Theatre
May 29 - Austin, TX - ACL Live at the Moody Theater
June 1 - New Orleans, LA - Orpheum Theater
June 2 - Houston, TX - Jones Hall For The Performing Arts
June 5 - Raleigh, NC - Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
June 7 - Norfolk, VA - Chrysler Hall
June 28 - Montreal, Canada - Place Des Arts - Maison Symphonique at Montreal Jazz Festival
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. Her new 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.
