Samantha Dress

A dynamic vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, Samantha Dress prides herself on bringing authenticity, vulnerability, and thoughtful musicianship to everything she creates.

Adopting the stage surname Dress as a 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 whose voice serves as her primary instrument. A pianist and self-taught guitarist, she accompanies herself across piano, keys, guitar, ukulele, and occasionally flute, with the versatility to pick up and learn new instruments as needed - a skill honed through her experience as a music educator. She holds a B.A. in Music Education from Rutgers’ Mason Gross School of the Arts.

Her experience as a performer spans the lively Jersey Shore music scene and New York City piano bars to some of the world’s most iconic stages. As a member of the Rutgers Kirkpatrick Choir, Samantha has performed with orchestras at Carnegie Hall and alongside classic rock legends The Eagles during their Hotel California Tour.

Her musical influences include Etta James, Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Alanis Morissette, and Yebba; folk writers Brandi Carlile and Lizzy McAlpine; plus contemporary indie pop and soul artists like Remi Wolf and Olivia Dean.

Drawing from these influences, she creates a sound that is distinctly her own, weaving together layered instrumentation, rich vocals, and dynamic arrangements to create a full sound even when performing solo. At the heart of it all is her songwriting, rooted in the rawness of lived experience.

Stream her debut single, “Between the Lines,” and stay tuned for upcoming releases.