Five-time Grammy Award winner Samara Joy has released a new single, “Flor de Lis (Upside Down),” a fresh take on the Brazilian classic originally written by Djavan nearly 50 years ago. Sung in Portuguese and arranged by Joy’s drummer Evan Sherman, the track pays tribute to Brazil’s enduring influence on jazz, arriving just ahead of Joy’s tour dates in South America, July 27 through August 2. The “Flor de Lis (Upside Down)” cover artwork features a painting by Brazilian illustrator Anna Cunha.
“Although it’s a heartbreaking story, the poetic lyrics and beautiful melody resonated with me immediately,” says Joy. “I got the chance to sing ‘Flor de Lis’ in Rio during my first trip there over a year ago and hearing the audience join in harmony only cemented how important this song is to the fabric of Brazilian music and culture. In this new arrangement by drummer Evan Sherman with a beautiful painting as the cover by Brazilian illustrator Anna Cunha, we hope to show our appreciation for the impact that Brazilian music has on our artistry as well as the impact it continues to have on the world.”
The Bronx-born jazz sensation continues her meteoric rise with a string of major accolades and career milestones. Her latest studio album Portrait offers a snapshot of Joy’s growth since her GRAMMY Best New Artist win, not only as a once-in-a-generation vocalist but also as a lyricist and band leader. In February, she earned two more Grammys at the 67th Annual Awards, winning Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Jazz Performance, bringing her total Grammy count to five. Shortly after, she was honored with her first NAACP Image Award, crowned Outstanding Jazz Album for Portrait, which she co‑produced alongside Brian Lynch. This Spring, she was a featured guest on the new season of Sesame Street and was featured in ELLE Magazine’s Women in Music issue, which you can read here.
For Black Music Month, Joy is featured in EBONY’s STAMPED, the second annual list of “The Headliners” shaping cultural conversation, alongside FKA Twigs, The Weeknd, Glorilla, Coco Jones and more. EBONY praises Joy’s once-in-a-generation voice, which “echoes legends yet feels entirely her own.” See the full list here.
Joy’s global tour, which recently included her anticipated sold-out Carnegie Hall debut in her hometown of New York City (photos via Rolling Stone here), will continue throughout the Summer and Fall. Please see below for all upcoming dates, and visit https://www.samarajoy.com/ for more information.
Samara Joy 2025 Tour Dates
June 27 – Ottawa, Canada – Ottawa Jazz Fest
June 28 – Montreal, Canada – Place Des Arts – Maison Symphonique at Montreal Jazz Festival
July 3 – Vienna, Austria – Wiener Konzerthaus
July 5 – Chantilly, France – TSF Jazz Chantilly Festival
July 6 – Hamburg, Germany – Elb Philharmonie
July 7 – Montreux, Switzerland – Montreux Jazz Festival
July 9 – Karlsruhe, Germany – Tollhaus
July 11 – Copenhagen, Denmark – DR Koncerthuset
July 12 – Rotterdam, Netherlands – North Sea Jazz Festival
July 14 – Perugia, Italy – Umbria Jazz Festival
July 19 – London, UK – Royal Albert Hall (with BBC Proms Orchestra)
July 27 – Santiago, Chile – Teatro Nescafe
July 29 – Buenos Aires, Argentina – Teatro Coliseo
July 31 – Sao Paolo, Brazil – Teatro Cultura Artistica
Aug. 2 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Vivo Rio
Sept. 26 – Beaverton, OR – Patricia Reser Center for the Arts
Sept. 27 – Beaverton, OR – Patricia Reser Center for the Arts
Sept. 29 – Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre
Oct. 1 – San Diego, CA – Humphreys Concerts by the Bay
Nov. 11 – Philadelphia, PA – Miller Theater
Nov. 14 – Carmel, IN – The Palladium
Nov. 15 – Madison, WI – Wisconsin Union Theater
Nov. 18 – Chesterfield, MO – The Factory
Nov. 19 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
Nov. 21 – St. Paul, MN – The Fitzgerald Theater
Nov. 22 – Kansas City, MO – Folly Theater
Jan. 24, 2026 – Grand Cayman – McBride’s World at Sea
May 16, 2026 – New York, NY – Geffen Hall
About Samara Joy:
A native of the Bronx, Samara Joy became entranced by classic R&B as a child and cut her teeth as a singer in her church’s gospel choir. And while her family history is deeply musical — her grandparents helmed the Philadelphia gospel group the Savettes, and her father, the musician and songwriter Antonio McLendon, has produced, composed and arranged his own astounding original work — she didn’t delve into the jazz tradition until college at SUNY Purchase. During her studies there she won the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, which introduced her to the larger jazz scene as a rising star to watch. She was heard, by audiences and critics alike, as a masterful interpreter of jazz standards and a rightful heiress of the sound, technique and charisma that defined her jazz heroines — including Vaughan, Betty Carter, Abbey Lincoln and Carmen McRae.
Joy released her self-titled debut on the Whirlwind label in 2021, followed a year later by Linger Awhile, her breakout Verve debut, of which DownBeat said, “With this beautiful recording, a silky-voiced star is born.” The album earned her a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album in addition to a headline-making win for Best New Artist. A deluxe edition of the album was released, as well as the EP A Joyful Holiday, which won two Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Jazz Performance (“Twinkle Twinkle Little Me” feat. Sullivan Fortner).
Her latest Verve album, Portrait, which Joy co-produced with the veteran trumpeter/bandleader and multi-Grammy winner Brian Lynch, showcases the intimate, soulful chemistry she’s developed with her touring band. Portrait also spotlights her burgeoning gifts as a lyricist, in ingenious arrangements that meld her thoughtful words with music by Charles Mingus, Sun Ra and her late mentor Barry Harris.