Words by The Urban Journal
Beyonce and Harry Styles will dominate the headlines – but 23-year-old Samara Joy is one to watch closely.
Jazz is one of those things that’s never really made a comeback. Those who love it, love it – and those who don’t, don’t. And though, I’m fairly planted in the love camp, I’d still concede that the genre’s never quite had the same mass appeal since its best days. A lot of that has to do with the lack of genre-specific talent, and it also has a lot to do with changing times.
Whatever the reason, it’s slowly making its comeback. Jazz clubs keep popping up, and the new crop of cool kids just can’t get enough. And among the talented crop of jazz artists bringing the genre mainstream, one stands out. Her name is Samara Joy, and she just won big at the Grammys. The likes of Beyoncè (who made history on the night) and Harry Styles will always dominate the headlines, but it’s hard to overlook Joy’s achievement on the night. To date, she’s released an impressive body of work, with her singles and covers of classic jazz standards doing the rounds on social media.
Guess Who I Saw Today is undeniably her best work, and it shows the full range of her singing and musical abilities. The voice is silky, and the elegance that personified past jazz greats is evident. There’s also a 21st-century twist to her approach to the genre, illustrated by the number of TikToks and Reels with her music. She counts the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan as idols, which should be of little surprise to anyone who knows anything about jazz. On Sunday night, she claimed the award for Best New Artist, making it a rare victory for an artist outside the usual pop and hip-hop genres.
“I’ve been watching y’all on TV for like so long”, she said, claiming the award in front of a full crowd. There’s a lot to like about Joy. For one, she’s a singer’s singer, with vocal abilities that seriously viral the best. Singing standards is no easy thing – singing them ridiculously well is a whole other ball game.
There’s a lot to like about Joy. She’s 23, and already possesses the talent and elegance of greats before. That’s no small compliment. What does this mean for jazz? Who knows. But, if her story so far is anything to go by, Samara Joy will be around for a long, long, time.