Samara Joy McLendon, born on November 11, 1999, is an American jazz singer who burst onto the scene with her self-titled debut album in 2021, earning her the title of Best New Artist from JazzTimes. Her second album, "Linger Awhile," released in 2022, topped the Billboard Jazz Albums chart, solidifying her position in the genre. McLendon has since amassed six Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist in 2023, and three wins each for Best Jazz Vocal Album (2023, 2025, and 2026) and Best Jazz Performance (2024 and 2025), cementing her as a formidable force in contemporary jazz.
