Craft Recordings celebrates Pride by partnering with the GRAMMY-nominated electronic duo David and Stephen Dewaele AKA Soulwax to produce a fresh and joyful remix of Sylvester’s 1978 disco classic, “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real).”
In 2019, the Library of Congress inducted “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)” into their National Recording Registry, recognizing the song for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.” Music journalist Peter Shapiro, meanwhile, described the track as, “an epochal record in disco history” and “the cornerstone of gay disco” in his 2005 book, Turn the Beat Around: The Secret History of Disco.
David and Stephen Dewaele of Soulwax took a purist approach with their version of the iconic hit. “Unlike other remixes where we usually replace most of the elements and make something radically different based around the vocal, we made this remix using only the parts we found on the original multitrack that we were so kindly given by the Sylvester estate,” said the brothers.
“Even though we have played this song a million times,” they continued, “we discovered a few elements that we had never heard before, like a crazy Patrick Cowley synth solo and somewhere hidden before the start of the multitrack, the ending of what sounds like a gospel version of ‘Mighty Real.’ It was a huge privilege to be asked to remix this seminal track and we hope that Sylvester will dance to it, wherever he is.”
Sylvester, meanwhile, continued to enjoy success long after the release of “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real),” releasing a total of nine albums during his lifetime and countless singles, including “Dance (Disco Heat)” (1978) and “Do Ya Wanna Funk” (1982). Fondly known as the “Queen of Disco,” Sylvester was not only a pioneer in the dance genre but was also a trailblazer in the LGBTQ+ community, living openly as a gay man and proudly challenging gender norms.
In addition to his unforgettable efforts in the studio and on stage, Sylvester was also a tireless activist for those living with HIV and AIDS—particularly in his beloved San Francisco. Sadly, the artist lost his own battle to complications from the virus in 1988, at the age of 41. Before he died, Sylvester ensured that royalties from his music would benefit two local organizations: the AIDS Emergency Fund (later renamed Emergency Financial Assistance), which offers immediate financial assistance to those disabled by HIV and AIDS, and Project Open Hand, which provides meals and groceries to the elderly and those battling critical illnesses in the Bay Area.
Sylvester’s unique musical legacy continues to live on, inspiring new generations of fans every day. In 2005, he was inducted into the Dance Music Hall Of Fame, while in 2016, he was ranked among the greatest dance club artists by Billboard. Sylvester was also among the inaugural honorees on San Francisco’s Rainbow Honor Walk and was the subject of an acclaimed, off-Broadway play, Mighty Real: A Fabulous Sylvester Musical.
