Samara Joy McLendon, a jazz vocalist from New York City’s Bronx, was named Best New Artist at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards. She was nominated in the category with Anitta, Omar Apollo, DOMi & JD Beck, Muni Long, Latto, Maneskin, Tobe Nwigwe, Molly Tuttle, and Wet Leg. Olivia Rodrigo, a previous winner of the same title, presented the award to the artist.
In her acceptance speech at the 2023 Grammys, the artist expressed her deep astonishment and appreciation for earning the prize.
She stated:
“I’ve been following you on TV for a long time….. Thank you very much for this distinction, and thank you to everyone who has heard and supported me… I’m grateful to be here because of who I am… to be here just by being myself, by being who I was born as.”
Samara, in addition to winning Best New Artist, won Best Jazz Vocal Album for her recent song, Linger Awhile.
All About Samara Joy McLendon
Samara Joy McLendon was born and raised in New York City’s Bronx area. She was born on November 11, 1999, and was raised in a musical household. Elder Goldwire and Ruth McLendon, her grandparents, were members of the Philadelphia-based gospel group The Savettes. She stated to NPR that her immediate relatives was likewise musically oriented.
She stated:
“My father is a bass musician, so there was a lot of funk, soul, and R&B. But he was also the one who grew up mostly in church and played in church.”
McLendon chose music for her further education after being inspired by her musical history, which led to her enrollment at the State University of New York’s jazz studies department. Jon Faddis, a lecturer and trumpet player, tutored her there. Samara rose to prominence in high school while attending Fordham High School for the Arts. She played with the school jazz band and won Fordham University’s “Essentially Ellington” competition in New York City.
Continuing her success, the vocalist received the International Jazz Vocalist Award in 2019 Samara McLendon. In 2021, she graduated magna cum laude and released Samara Joy, her debut studio album, in conjunction with Matt Pierson, who later became her manager. During this time, she also posted a number of TikTok performances that became viral and had over one million views. She won a Grammy for her second album, Linger Awhile, which was published in 2022.
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