(NEWARK, NJ) -- The search is on for the next great jazz singer! New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) continues to accept applicants for the 14th annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition until September 2, 2025 at SarahVaughanCompetition.com. In the Fall, the Top Five Finalists will be announced followed by a final competition and performance on the iconic NJPAC stage in Newark, New Jersey.
The Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition, also known as “The SASSY Awards”, is open to singers over the age of 18, of all genders and nationalities, from anywhere in the world, and not signed by a major label. Entrants are judged on vocal quality, musicality, technique, performance, individuality, artistic interpretation, and ability to swing.
On November 23, 2025, the finalists will compete at NJPAC in front of a live audience and before a distinguished panel of judges including Tony-nominated singer/lyricist Ann Hampton Callaway, GRAMMY®-nominated trumpeter Jon Faddis, GRAMMY®-nominated jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon, GRAMMY® Award-winning bassist and Artistic Advisor for Jazz Programming at NJPAC Christian McBride, and founding member of The Manhattan Transfer and co-host of WBGO Radio’s Singers Unlimited, vocalist Janis Siegel. Hosted by WBGO Radio’s Gary Walker, this special event will also include performances by the 2023 winner of the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition Tyreek McDole. The first-prize winner of The SASSY Awards will receive a $5,000 cash award, second-place $1,500, and third-place $500.
The competition recalls the humble beginnings of legendary jazz singer/NEA Jazz Master Sarah Vaughan (1924-1990) who, back in 1942, was a Newark teenager and winner of an amateur singing contest at the Apollo Theater. That memorable night helped launch the lifework of one of the most successful, influential jazz vocalists in the history of American music.
Past winners include Cyrille Aimée, Jazzmeia Horn,Ashleigh Smith, Arianna Neikrug, Deelee Dubé, Quiana Lynell, Laurin Talese, Samara Joy (GRAMMY® Award winner for Best New Artist 2023), Gabrielle Cavassa and Tawanda Suessbrich-Joaquim, G. Thomas Allen, Lucía Gutiérrez Rebolloso, Tyreek McDole, and April May Webb.
What has become one of the top annual vocal competitions in jazz, The SASSY Awards offers outstanding jazz singers a one-of-a-kind platform for embarking on a career in the music business—and offers audience members a chance to discover the jazz stars of tomorrow. Gifted young contestants from around the world are evaluated on vocal quality, musicality, technique, performance, individuality, artistic interpretation, and ability to swing.
For more information about The SASSY Awards, visit SarahVaughanCompetition.com.
For the 14th consecutive year, NJPAC’s TD James Moody Festival is sponsored by TD Bank, which has supported the event since its inauguration, ensuring that the event annually includes free community performances and educational events, as well as mainstage concerts showcasing jazz superstars. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, is America’s most diverse performing arts center, and the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey – where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the state’s and the world’s best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has served more than 10 million visitors (including over 1.9 million students and families) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents.
