Since making her Center debut with sold-out performances that completely wowed our audience (as the Jazz Club Discovery Artist of the 22/23 Season), Samara Joy’s fortunes and fame have only continued to rise and rise!

Her first full-length album, Linger Awhile, became a critical smash and earned Joy an incredible two 2023 Grammy Awards including Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best New Artist.   She followed that up with another Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance at this year’s ceremony.

While not winning awards, she also toured the world extensively, with her smooth vocals, deeply emotive music, and genuine warmth earning a legion of adoring fans (like Anita Baker and Regina Taylor) and introducing jazz music to a whole new generation of fans!   With millions of likes on TikTok, Samara has cemented her status as the first Gen Z jazz singing star.

At just 24 years old, Samara is a once-in-a-generation vocalist who has already garnered critical acclaim for a voice The New York Times calls “as rich as custard” and a delivery that is “disarming [and] unhurried (NPR Fresh Air).”

We could not be more thrilled to welcome this young songbird back to our campus, this time performing in the gorgeous Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall.