Amy Tjasink teams up with Gallo Remixed to breathe new life into a Mango Groove classic
South African singer-songwriter Amy Tjasink returns with a big Summer song, Feels Like Mzansi, a vibrant re-imagining inspired by the legendary Mango Groove classic, Special Star. The track forms part of a special Gallo Records project that bridges the golden era of South African music with today’s modern sound.
Amy admits with a laugh:
“When Gallo first asked me to be part of this project, I was completely honoured and honestly a little overwhelmed. Special Star is such an iconic piece of music history. I kept asking myself, how do you even begin to re-create something that perfect, while still paying homage to it?”
The inspiration struck at the most unexpected moment, thousands of kilometres from home.
“I was sitting in the middle of Istanbul International Airport, exhausted after a long writing trip in Europe,” she recalls. “All I wanted was to be back home, back to my people, my country, the warmth of the sun, and the friendliness that makes South Africa so special. That’s when the song hit me and I realised what Mzansi really feels like.”
With that spark, Amy returned home and brought her idea to life at Pretty Loud HQ, her & Erin Elliot’s creative base and studio in Cape Town. She teamed up with her dream team collaborators Jono Greyling and Erin Elliot, whose natural writing chemistry helped transform the concept into a soaring, modern anthem.
“I had this line running through my head: ‘Been gone too long, my roots keep calling me back.’ From there, the rest just flowed,” Amy explains. “Within hours, the song poured out of us. It was pure magic and a true love letter to South Africa.”
Feels Like Mzansi is a sonic celebration of home which blends nostalgic African rhythms with shimmering pop production and Amy’s signature, soul-stirring vocals. The result is both deeply personal and universally uplifting, capturing the essence of what it means to belong to a country rich in spirit, warmth, and rhythm.
Claire Johnston from Mango Groove shares her enthusiasm for the release, saying “It’s exciting to hear ‘Special Star’ hooks used in such a fresh, fun way, the perfect summer song! Looking forward to hearing ‘Feels Like Mzansi’ blasting on the radio this December!”
With Feels Like Mzansi out now across all DSPs here, fans are sure to be adding the song as new favourite to their road trip playlist with the holiday season fast approaching.
“I just want to make South Africa proud,” Amy says with a smile. “I want people to remember how awesome our country is, how special our people are, and to feel that same sense of joy and pride that I felt writing this song. From our hearts to South Africa and we hope you love it.”
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