Who is the best new artist, Grammy winner Samara Joy?

Samara Joy, a 23-year-old jazz singer from the Bronx, was named Best New Artist at the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday night, a rare win by an artist from a relatively specialized field in a category that for years has been dominated by high-flyers pop and hip hop stars.

The last musician of this kind to win Best New Artist? Another jazz singer, Esperanza Spalding, who beat Drake and Justin Bieber for the coveted award in 2011. Some of the more well-known acts that included Joy Beat Sunday included rapper Latto, R&B singer Muni Long, Brazilian singer Anitta, and rock bands Wet Leg and Måneskin. Joy also won a Grammy for a jazz vocal album on Sunday with “Linger Awhile,” her debut LP for the famed Verve label, which showcases her stately yet sensual renditions of standards like “Misty,” “Round Midnight,” and “Someone.” to” contains take care of me.”

“I’ve been watching you guys on TV since a song like that,” Joy told the A-listers gathered at LA’s Crypto.com Arena as she accepted the Best New Artist award, seemingly in disbelief. “You all are so inspirational to me, so to be here for who I am…just being who I was born makes me so grateful.”

Joy grew up as the granddaughter of Elder Goldwire and Ruth McLendon, who performed with a Philadelphia gospel group, the Savettes. But as a child, Joy also sang in school musicals and recorded the soul and R&B music of Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin and Chaka Khan. During her studies at the State University of New York at Purchase she won the renowned Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition in 2019.

Last year’s best new artist was Olivia Rodrigo, who announced Joy’s win on Sunday’s show. Joy is scheduled to perform at the Soraya Performing Arts Center in Cal State Northridge on Saturday.