Samara Joy “A Joyful Holiday” Featuring The McLendon Family

At only 24, her voice is wise beyond her years — a reincarnation of Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday, with a special something all her own. The New York Times praises Joy for “helping jazz take a youthful turn,” while NPR calls her a “classic jazz singer from a new generation.”

The three-time Grammy Award-winning vocalist will make her Penn State debut with a performance of her third annual “A Joyful Holiday” featuring the McLendon Family.

“A Joyful Holiday” will feature a festive mix of sacred and secular with selections from her 2023 EP A Joyful Holiday (Verve Records), along with several gospel-inspired seasonal favorites.