Grammy Award-winning jazz singer to make UGA Presents debut

The close precision and frothy power of her voice stand out immediately … so does the depth of her comfort within the jazz tradition.”—New York Times

With two recent Grammy Award-winning albums, Bronx native Samara Joy has rocketed to fame and quickly joined the likes of Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday as the next great jazz singing sensation. She makes her UGA Presents debut with a seven-piece band Friday, Oct. 18 at 7:30 pm. at Hodgson Concert Hall.

Her voice — rich and velvety, yet precociously refined — has helped “jazz take a youthful turn” (New York Times) by introducing her massive young audience to a slew of classic standards several times older than she is. Through her timeless, irresistible sound, she has already become a “classic jazz singer from a new generation” (NPR).

On her debut album for Verve Records, Linger Awhile, Samara is accompanied by esteemed veterans. With ease and a preternatural assurance, she swings right alongside them through understated yet powerful renditions in this creative collection of standards.

There are burnished, gleaming versions of chestnuts in “Misty,” “Linger Awhile” and “Someone to Watch Over Me,” transporting listeners to some romantic, long-lost supper club. Those familiar tunes are listed alongside some more unusual, if equally vintage selections: a fresh take on “Guess Who I Saw Today” (a story of infidelity famously told by Nancy Wilson) and “Can’t Get Out Of This Mood,” which Samara uncovered on a collection of Sarah Vaughan rarities, add a lilting, upbeat bent to the album’s selections.

In February 2023, Samara took home two Grammys — Best Jazz Vocal Album for Linger Awhile and the highly sought after Best New Artist statuette. In a relatively short time, Samara has toured throughout Europe and the U.S., making stops at legendary festivals including the Newport Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Barbican Center in London, Nice Jazz Festival, and Philharmonie Paris. 2023 also saw Samara headlining iconic venues including sold out shows in her native New York at The Village Vanguard, The Apollo, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall, and the Blue Note Jazz Club.

Cementing herself as a rising star in the worlds of both music and fashion, Samara fronted a holiday campaign for the fashion label Theory, a partnership befitting her timeless onstage style and casual elegance.

In 2024, at the 66th Grammy Awards, she added to her growing collection of accolades by taking home the Best Jazz Performance statuette for her single “Tight.” The self-produced track features Joy with her working band (pianist Luther Allison, bassist Mikey Migliore and drummer Evan Sherman), and was recorded at the legendary Electric Lady Studios in NYC.

Most recently, the breakout vocalist released the original single “Why I’m Here.” This incredibly triumphant and rousing track from the Netflix film Shirley (starring Oscar winner Regina King), further establishes Samara as a voice to be reckoned with, not just in the world of jazz but effortlessly across genres. Written by Samara and fellow multiple Grammy winner PJ Morton, the anthemic song plays over Shirley’s end title credits.

The ascendant, 3x Grammy-winning vocalist, who continues to tour all over the world on increasingly larger stages — is still shocked to be performing in front of thousands who hang on every word. “I'm still very much a student, even though I've graduated,” Samara says. “So this is only the beginning … there is much, much more to come.”

BUYING TICKETS IS EASY

Securing tickets for UGA Presents performances and other events couldn’t be easier. There are three ways to choose from:

1. Purchase tickets online 24/7 at pac.uga.edu.

2. Call the Performing Arts Center Box Office at (706) 542-4400, Mon.-Fri., 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

3. Visit the UGA Performing Arts Center Box Office, Mon.-Fri., 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 230 River Road (5 minute parking is available in the drop off circle at the Performing Arts Center for purchasing or picking up tickets.)