Can A 'Gossip Girl' Really Sing?

With a name synonymous with that of Blair Waldorf and a face that can go from cute as a button to deadly and devious, Leighton Meester’s career as an actress is in no foreseeable danger as long as Gossip Girl keeps churning out episodes. Then she signed a recording contract with Universal Republic in 2009 and has then-since been trying to prove that she can sing as well as she can act.

Since then, she’s been featured on the Cobra Starship hit “Good Girls Go Bad” and has released her first single “Somebody To Love,” though people on the viral side of life have also enjoyed her songs “Body Control” and “Betty Davis Eyes.” With her most recent song, “Your Love Is A Drug” available on YouTube, it’s about time someone finally says it.

Leighton Meester sounds absolutely no different from every other pop star on the radio (Lady Gaga being the obvious exception). Can she sing? Yes. Can she sing any better (or, to be fair, worse) than anyone else? No. I wouldn’t be the first to call her music processed and computerized, but neither word is unusual in today’s day and age. Which is exactly the problem.

There’s nothing notable about her songs. There’s nothing notable about her voice. Blair Waldorf is a recognizable fashion icon whose every change in hairstyle is emulated and every anti-heroic behavior becomes the hot topic of discussion among her numerous fans. This Blairmania was fueled by Leighton’s acting skills, her ability to truly embody the character you love to love and to hate.

Her singing inspires no such dedication, though her soon-to-be-released album is sure to sell a ton of copies as loyal Blair fans rush to support her. She has something that most artists lack, however, and that is potential. With a little less machine synth and a little more genuineness, her music career might just take off. Until then, here’s hoping that this good girl’s career does not go bad.