(NEWARK, NJ) -- The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) has announced that registration is now officially open for the 15th annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, the premier springboard for emerging vocalists. The search is on for the next great jazz singer! Solo vocalists from around the world are encouraged to submit their entries before September 8, 2026, by visiting SarahVaughanCompetition.com. In the Fall, the Top Five Finalists will be announced followed by a final competition and performance on the iconic NJPAC stage.
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 22, 2026, the finalists will compete at NJPAC in front of a live audience and before a distinguished panel of judges including leading jazz vocalist for the hip-hop generation Jose James, 3x Grammy® Award nominee Gretchen Parlato, Tony, Drama Desk, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Vice President of Programming Jason Olaine, Outer Critics Cricle Award-winning actress/singer Lillias White, and percussionist T.S. Monk (son of Thelonious Monk).
Hosted by WBGO Radio’s Gary Walker, this special event will also include performances by the 2024 winner of the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition April May Webb. 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, April May Webb, and Kate Kortum.
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.
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New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is the most diverse performing arts center in the country, and the anchor cultural institution for both the city of Newark and the state of New Jersey. It is an artistic, cultural, educational and civic center where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings 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 Arts & Well-Being develops initiatives and programs that amplify the health benefits of the arts and measure the impact of the Arts Center on community health and well-being. NJPAC has attracted more than 12.7 million visitors (including more than two million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents.
