There’s more to Leighton Meester than meets the eye. Her debut album proves just that. In 2009, she signed with Republic Records, but her album never made it out to the public. Some of her singles did surface, such as “Your Love’s a Drug” and her collaboration with Robin Thicke on “Somebody to Love.” She was also featured in Cobra Starship’s “Good Girls Go Bad,” a song that was a summer hit and that we can remember her from—musically that is.
Leighton Meester, of course, played Blair Waldorf on the hit series Gossip Girl. It was in the movie Country Strong that she also showcased her vocals, alongside Gwyneth Paltrow.
Undeniably, Meester has great vocals.
Her debut album, “Heartstrings,” dropped this week alongside Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated “1989.” Meester did not make a publicity campaign for her album like Swift did, and frankly, she didn’t need to, because the album speaks for itself.
“Heartstrings” is completely different from anything we have heard from her before. The songs throughout the album are cohesive, with a folk singer-songwriter feel to them. Every song on the album is solid—lyrically and musically. The album’s instrumentals were recorded live in the studio, and its organic feel has the ability to pull you in. Meester’s voice is strong, sultry and yet vulnerable and gentle. The tone and even texture to her voice have this mysterious and dreamy feel that compels you to press repeat. The thought to press skip doesn’t cross your mind for any of the songs because they are all that good. Listening to the whole album is like embarking on a relaxing boat ride of sweet, soothing melodies accompanied by perfectly strummed acoustic guitars.
The songs vary in tempo. Songs like “Good for One Thing” and “On My Side” pick up the pace and lift you up. But then there are songs like “Dreaming.”
This album shows that Meester has a vision for her music and is in control of it. The album is under her own record label, Hotly Wanting. She shows confidence and depth in every song, and it is evident that she finally feels at home with her music. She’s found her niche, though we shouldn’t be quick to put her in a box.
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I’m excited to see her on tour. You can see her live performance of “Heartstrings” below. She’s the real deal, guys!
Give the album a listen and tell us what you think! As for me, I’m in love with it.
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