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Samara Joy

Samara Joy Portrait
Wednesday, September 14, 2022
6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Duke Performances Fall 2022 Series

Since winning the 2019 Sarah Vaughn International Voice Competition, New York-based vocalist Samara Joy's rise has been meteoric. With unprecedented maturity and depth for a 21-year-old newcomer, Joy's voice beguiles.

A Bronx native, Joy grew up singing gospel and R&B with her family, including her grandparents, who led the gospel group The Savettes, and her father, who toured with lauded gospel artist Andre Crouch. But it wasn't until high school that Joy found vocal jazz through records her friends lent her.

Between devouring Sarah Vaughn's "Lover Man," and winning Best Vocalist at the Essentially Ellington Competition with her high school jazz band, Joy found her trajectory and set her sights on studying vocal jazz at the acclaimed SUNY Purchase College.

While studying there, Joy recorded her self-titled debut record, which dropped on July 9th. The debut, highlighting Joy's formidable talent, features delicious interpretations of the Great American Songbook-including her favorite, "Lover Man."