‘Great Heart’ Features on Upcoming Scatterlings Album: A Celebration of Johnny Clegg’s Legacy

The upcoming Scatterlings album brings together many of South Africa’s most exciting recording artists to celebrate the songs, spirit, and enduring legacy of Johnny Clegg. Featuring new interpretations by artists including Sjava, Sun-El Musician, Msaki, Tresor, Zolani Mahola, and others, the project pays tribute to a catalogue of music that helped shape the sound and spirit of a nation. Among these recordings is Great Heart, a special collaboration that marks the first time fans will hear Jesse Clegg adding his voice to one of his father’s most beloved songs.

”Great Heart” is the only song on the album that features both Jesse and his dad, and Jesse shared more about his deeply personal connection to the song: “When my dad did his final tour, this was the song that we performed together. I have so many wonderful memories of singing and dancing with him on stage. I’m grateful we had that experience together.” The music video was shot in the Drakensberg mountains, a location that reflects both the beauty and deep history of South Africa, making it a resonant setting to celebrate a song that holds such a meaningful place in our culture.

Watch the official music video for Great Heart here:

A song that has been part of his life since he was a child; he always knew it was important to his Dad’s career. “I feel very connected to it.” Described as having a beautiful life-affirming energy to it, it was important for Jesse to capture the essence of the song. “Great Heart” is such a beautiful song. It’s not something I wanted to improve on, but rather add my own artistry to it for a modern take.”

The Scatterlings album brings together an exceptional collective of artists leading up to the Scatterlings Music Festival on 1 August. Curated and conceptualised by Jesse Clegg and Msaki, this project has been years in the making. “It’s something that I’ve been wanting to do for a long time,” Jesse shares. “When someone you’re close to passes away, you feel the sense that you want to celebrate them and bring their voice back, bring their perspective back. I think my dad was such a unique person and had an incredible impact on South Africa that it felt so beautiful to do that through music and through a whole new generation of musicians.” Many of the artists involved in the project all had their own connection to Johnny Clegg’s work, individually inspired by the music in some way for their own careers.