For our Apple Music Home Session series—in which we ask artists to record stripped-back versions of their biggest hits, alongside a cover of one of their favourite songs—the legendary South African group Mango Groove carry on their tradition of creating warm, insightful Afropop that both reflects where are and gives an optimistic glimpse into who we can be. “The pandemic was very hard for all artists, and at times it forced us into fairly dark periods of self-reflection, the group’s lead singer Claire Johnston tells Apple Music. “At the same time, however, I do hope we ultimately took away things that changed us for the better: Compassion for what so many people went through, and for all the people who lost love ones; gratitude and awe for what so many unsung and selfless people went through on the frontline in fighting this cursed pandemic; and finally, humility, in so many ways—the realisation that so many things we take for granted are actually precious and fragile.” Here, the group offers reimagined versions of “Moments Away” and “Another Country”, alongside a cover of “The Flying Dutchman”, Laurika Rauch’s timeless classic. “Having been denied it through the pandemic, we came to understand the true importance of real human content and connection,” Johnston explains. “Art is very powerful in this regard, and we should treasure it for how it can nourish us. Also, the importance of being yourself in however you wish to express yourself, through art, music or whatever. Sincerity and authenticity are at the heart of it all, and the pandemic reminded us of that. ‘Be true to thyself’, indeed”. Here, Johnston talks us through their selections. “Another Country” “‘Another Country’ was written as a direct response to the Boipatong Massacre [in 1992], during a particularly fraught, uncertain and painful time in our country’s history. For all of its genesis, however, the song is also, above all, a song about hope, inclusion, belonging and reconciliation, and in so many ways we feel it still resonates with the myriad uncertainties that South Africans and the world seem to be facing today. We were particularly honoured and humbled by the song’s association with the awe-inspiring art of William Kentridge, and we also celebrated the song more recently on our 2017 release Faces to the Sun—a collaboration with the ridiculously talented and iconic Zolani Mahola. With all of this in mind, a more intimate treatment of the song for the Home Session felt utterly right and appropriate.” “Moments Away” “‘Moments Away’ has a special place in our hearts, as it was really our very first love song. It is also a song that concert audiences always sing with us, so we always love playing it live, too. The Home Session version is very stripped down, and ‘back to basics’, and we hope it captures the emotional core of the song.” “The Flying Dutchman” “Laurika Rauch has always been one of our favourite SA artists, and we have always particularly loved this song. Chris Torr always writes such bittersweet and exquisite melodies, and we love the soaring, evocative, epic and uniquely South African natural imagery of the lyrics. Profound reflections on history, identity and belonging. We thought we would try a slower, more anthem-like treatment of the song that hopefully also pays tribute to the emotional power of the original version.”