Linger Awhile

Sometimes Today Seems Like Yesterday

Samara Joy is A 'ONCE IN A GENERATION' NEW VOICE IN JAZZ!

With her upcoming Verve Records debut, Linger Awhile, 22-year-old Samara Joy makes her case to join the likes of Sarah, Ella, and Billie as the next mononymousjazz singing sensation recorded by the venerable label. Her voice, rich and velvety yet precociously refined, has already earned her fans like Anita Baker and Regina King, appearances on the TODAY Show and millions of likes on TikTok —cementing her status as perhaps the first Gen Z jazz singing star. On Linger Awhile, Samara will introduce that massive audience to a slew of classic standards several times older than she is through her timeless, irresistible sound.

Samara is still relatively new to jazz. Growing up in the Bronx, it was music of the past —the music of her parent’s childhoods, as she put it —that she listened to most. She treasures her musical lineage, which stretches back to her grandparents Elder Goldwire and Ruth McLendon, both of whom performed with Philadelphia gospel group the Savettes, and runs through her father, who is a singer, songwriter and producer who toured with gospel artist Andraé Crouch.

The release is just one more step for the ascendant vocalist, who will spend the rest of 2022 touring increasingly large stages —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.”