“Home” is the finale song in the 1975 Broadway musical The Wiz. It's one of the most well-known songs of the show, and Stephanie Mills, who performed the song while embodying the character Dorothy, was just 17 years old when the musical debuted.
"Home" is an emotional ballad that takes place after Dorothy’s transformative journey through Oz. It's a powerful, relatable song about love and self-discovery, and a fitting bookend to a show that has become an inspiring staple for Black thespians and performers.
Diana Ross performed "Home" in the film version of The Wiz, which was released a few years after the Broadway show premiered. Ross never released “Home” as its own single, but she continues to perform it often on stage — as have powerhouse artists such as Whitney Houston and Cynthia Erivo.
In this episode of "Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan," Jordan Embrack, a vocalist and graduate of the University of Maryland, joins Stephanie to discuss "Home," its national impact, and the personal meaning it holds for Jordan as she begins her career as a singer and entertainer.
"I think that Diana's version really challenged us to look at 'Home' differently, because it was about going to family and going back to a location, but it was also about being a little older and figuring things out, because there was room for that. I remember graduating college and feeling like, 'Oh, I have my degree, but I don't know anything.'" - Jordan Embrack
“Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan” is produced by Katelynn McIlwain, Janet Saidi, Ryan Famuliner and Aaron Hay.
Special thanks to Nat Kuhn, recording engineer at the University of Maryland and Mark Johnson, recording engineer at KBIA.
This podcast is a collaboration between the Missouri School of Journalism’s KBIA News and the University of Maryland’s College of Arts and Humanities.
You can follow the podcast and other special projects on Instagram @kbianews and on our Facebook page, "Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan."
“Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan” Season 1 was produced by Janet Saidi, Kristofor Husted, Fernando Narro, Rehman Tungekar, and Ryan Famuliner, with host and producer Stephanie Shonekan. Season 1 was edited by Rehman Tungekar and Ryan Famuliner.
“Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan” Season 2 was produced by Janet Saidi, Ryan Famuliner, Aaron Hay, and Stephanie Shonekan. Season 2 was edited by Aaron Hay and Ryan Famuliner.
"Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan" Season 3 was produced by Katelynn McIlwain, Janet Saidi, Ryan Famuliner, Aaron Hay and Nat Kuhn, with host and producer Stephanie Shonekan. Season 3 was edited by Aaron Hay and Ryan Famuliner.
"Cover Story with Stephanie Shonekan" Season 4 was produced by Katelynn McIlwain, Janet Saidi, Ryan Famuliner, Aaron Hay and Nat Kuhn, with host and producer Stephanie Shonekan. Season 4 was edited by Aaron Hay and Ryan Famuliner.
