A dynamic vocalist who ignites through vulnerability, Samantha Dress emphasizes a playful commitment to total authenticity, anchored in serious musicianship.
Adopting the stage surname Dress in a heartfelt tribute to her late mother, Susan Dress, she’s come a long way since first taking the stage at the iconic Stone Pony at just 11 years old.
A lifelong musician, Dress is a classically trained vocalist & pianist as well as a self-taught guitarist. She moves fluidly between piano, keys, ukulele & occasionally flute.
As a vocalist in the Rutgers Kirkpatrick Choir, Samantha has shared the stage with orchestras at Carnegie Hall as well as classic rock legends The Eagles during their Hotel California Tour.
She holds a B.A. in Music Education from Rutgers’ Mason Gross School of the Arts. She teaches music by day & performs in piano bars & clubs by night.
Her sprawling influences include vocal giants like Etta James, Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Alanis Morissette & Yebba; folk writers Brandi Carlisle & Lizzy McAlpine, plus contemporary indie pop/soul artists like Remi Wolf & Olivia Dean.
She blends these influences into her own distinct style, employing a tasteful variety of instrumentation & live layering for a full sound, even solo, & always writing from the rawness of experience.Stream her debut single, “Between the Lines,” out now, & follow her on Spotify to be the first to hear what’s next.
