Samara Joy grew up in a family of gospel singers. Her grandparents founded the Philadelphia gospel group, The Savettes. Her father is a vocalist and bass player, who toured extensively with gospel great, Andrea Crouch. With this musical background in her, Samara Joy burst onto the jazz scene while enrolled in the jazz program at SUNY's Purchase College as a voice major. In 2019, she won the Sarah Vaughn International Jazz Vocal Competition. Just two years later, she graduated college magna cum laude and released her self-titled debut album, which led to Jazz Times naming her Best New Artist. Featured on Episode 002 of Sound Impressions, Samara's second release, Linger Awhile, has brought more accolades. At the Grammy Awards in 2023, Linger Awhile was awarded Best Jazz Vocal Album and Samara was named Best New Artist, only the 2nd jazz artist ever to receive the award.