LISTEN: “Do What You Want, Be What You Are” and “Make You Whole” by The Lael Project (Lael Summer)

The Lael Project’s latest release is more than a tribute. It’s a reminder of the power Lael Summer carried in her voice and vision. With September being Suicide Awareness Month, this posthumous remix of her shimmering 2013 cover of Hall & Oates’ “Do What You Want, Be What You Are” breathes new life into one of her most celebrated performances. Produced by Tomás Doncker and James Dellatacoma, the track underscores why Lael was hailed as “The One To Watch” at the time of its original release. Her vocals strike with clarity and conviction by balancing reverence for the source material with an unmistakable individuality.

Tomás’ recollection of its beginnings,

We were sitting at the kitchen table in her family’s loft in TriBeCa, NYC, brainstorming about album concepts, scrutinising lyrics, and writing the songs that would become Lael’s debut album ‘Burden To Bear’. Lael was always a good songwriter, but her forte was finding the commonality in her deeply personal lyrics – yet another reason why her work still resonates so passionately and powerfully today.

He further highlights how intentional and collaborative her artistry always was and that intentionality carries into the remix, which amplifies the qualities that made Lael stand out. It’s her ability to find strength in vulnerability and to make a classic song sound distinctly her own.

The double A-side also features “Make You Whole” which adds further weight. Written for a friend Lael met in treatment at thirteen, it carries layers of meaning that her mother, Marla Mase, continues to unpack.

Sometimes, it feels like Lael is singing about herself. Other times I hear it as her apology for having left us and for causing her family and friends pain. But mostly, I hear the song as a reflection/testament to Lael’s deep compassion and empathy for all those that harbor secrets, pain and shame, for whatever reason, and her sincere, passionate wish that no one had to suffer…”

That sentiment captures what The Lael Project strives to continue in Lael’s honour by turning pain into connection and silence into dialogue.

This release does more than revisit Lael’s artistry. It asks one to engage in the conversation she wanted to foster. One of openness, compassion, and survival. As Lael herself once said,