Samara Joy Part 2
The Questlove Show
iHeartPodcasts
4.6 • 2K Ratings
🗓️ 14 January 2026
⏱️ 40 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In Part 2 of her conversation with Questlove, Samara Joy unpacks why Carmen McRae is such a powerful influence on her singing. The Bronx native talks about recording at Rudy Van Gelder’s famed studio, and why those hallowed jazz halls are a perfect match for her voice. Joy also opens up about her musical family, the months she spent adding lyrics to compositions by Charles Mingus and Sun Ra for her latest Grammy-nominated album, and much more.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is an I-Heart podcast. |
| 0:02.5 | Guaranteed Human. |
| 0:04.6 | The Questlove show is a production of I-Heart Radio. |
| 0:13.3 | People, people, what's up? |
| 0:14.7 | This is Questlove. |
| 0:15.6 | And last week, we brought you part one of my in-studio conversation with Samara Joy. |
| 0:22.4 | At the top of the month, |
| 0:28.0 | she'll be competing for two Grammy Awards, all right, including Best Vocal Jazz album for her latest LP portrait. If you haven't heard already, make sure you spend time with that album. And with part |
| 0:33.9 | one of this interview, this is where I really got to learn her story and dig into her craft. |
| 0:38.2 | So part two, we're going to have a little more fun. |
| 0:41.3 | We talk about her time in the studio, her ensemble, and yes, where she gives her Grammy Awards, she's already won. |
| 0:47.4 | All right? |
| 0:48.1 | Enjoy. |
| 0:50.8 | What was your first job ever? |
| 0:53.8 | I was a cashier at ShopRite part-time. |
| 0:56.0 | Okay. |
| 0:57.0 | What album have you committed to memory from start to finish? |
| 1:02.0 | No skips. Perfect album. |
| 1:04.0 | The audience with Betty Carter, that's live with John Hicks on piano, Curtis Lundy on bass, and Kenny Washington on drums. |
| 1:12.2 | And he was actually my professor, but he was 18 years old or 19 years old. |
| 1:16.0 | You were only Kenny Washington. |
| 1:17.3 | I guess nothing. |
... |
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