Taiwanese singer Summer, 55, will be releasing her latest album “Short Stories” in July after a hiatus of 9 years, much to the delight of her fans. Since 1999, Summer has been recognized with multiple music awards. She has always maintained a low-key and somewhat mysterious presence in the music industry, yet she is widely loved and respected by all.
The cultural giant Lei Xiang passed away in May at the age of 85. A memorial service was held for him on June 23. At the memorial, Lei Xiang’s daughter, Summer, recalled her father with a mix of sadness and a desire to convey that he had no regrets before passing. Summer not only shared memories of her final moments with her father but also believed that her father wanted to pass on the feeling of living without regrets to everyone.
Summer’s new song “Closed Seaside Resort” is both exquisite and thoughtful. The lyrics are inspired by a short poem written by her father, Lei Xiang, in his youth. Summer completed the lyrics and melody as a tribute to her father’s past friendships and creativity, showcasing her deep admiration for him in the song.
Since her 2019 concert “Last Night I Met You” at TICC, Summer has rarely been in the public eye. Besides continuing her work in music composition and voice acting, she has been supporting her parents and guiding her family through the pandemic.
During this time, Summer received nominations for the “Best Original Film Song” and “Best Original Film Music” at the 55th and 56th Golden Horse Awards for her contributions to the movies “Van Pao-Te” and “Detention”. Her efforts have been fruitful.
It has been 9 years since her last album “Voices I Don’t Want to Forget”, and Summer only started working on her new album “Short Stories” as she coordinated an art and prose project for her father, the artist and writer Lei Xiang. A few songs like “Closed Seaside Resort” and “Running Youth” were born out of serendipity in the past couple of years, gradually forming the backbone of the new album. Finally, in the summer of 2024, Summer is opening a new chapter with her album and sharing it with everyone.
Drawing inspiration from the creative correspondence between her father Lei Xiang and his composer friend Xu Songrong, the song “Closed Seaside Resort” incorporates a story penned by Summer to pay tribute to the enduring friendships of creators from a bygone era.
In a “studio conversation” between Lei Xiang and Summer recorded in July 2022, Lei Xiang praised his daughter for reinterpreting his old works into new pieces, especially lauding the accompaniment that vividly depicts the rolling waves in the background.
Summer responded to her father, “The most important thing is using your lyrics, and recently I’ve been exploring new directions and themes in my creations. When I saw these lyrics, I felt I could develop something from your words.”
Reflecting on different stages of life, Summer mentioned that one sees different things in hindsight, suggesting that her father’s lyrics subtly embody this aspect.
Throughout the video, Lei Xiang nodded approvingly as he looked affectionately at his daughter, saying, “You are very clever.” He added, “It really makes me feel that life continues. You understand me so well,” showing immense pride in his daughter. Summer blushed and smiled shyly, showcasing the deep bond between father and daughter evident in their interactions.
Summer’s music video for “Closed Seaside Resort” premiered on her official YouTube channel on June 26.