Looks like Gossip Girl will finally get to promote the musical talents of its own stars— Leighton Meester has inked a record deal with Universal and plans on releasing a debut album this fall. Many including myself actually kind of like single that leaked in early April, and Universal seems pleased enough about bringing “this unique facet of her immense talent” to the world. This all sounds well and good, but I have to say, I was hoping that when our favorite GG star took the inevitable celebrity stab at an unrelated industry for which she’s completely unqualified, she would at least give us the gift of a celebrity clothing line. Blair Waldorf is already a fashion icon for magazines, blogs, designers, and teens in New York and beyond, and Meester herself usually demonstrates serious off-screen style… plus, it couldn’t be any worse than what the girls of the Hills gave us.

As for the music, the first leaked single, entitled “Birthday” for no apparent reason, displays Meester’s self-described “electro-pop edge” with a raspy, decidedly un-Blair-like voice singing saucy Gossip Girl-ready lyrics: “Ooh, I can feel in your fingertips… Ooh, that your grip is for real…Come find yourself lost within these hips.” The first “official” single is planned to drop this summer with the full album coming in fall, but Entertainment Weekly got a preview of some of the other tracks. EW writer Tim Stack also couldn’t help but comment on Meester’s singing “very un-CW things like, ‘Don’t turn the lights out/I bet you like to watch.'” Sounds like Leighton is pushing the envelope, just like her show.

Check out “Birthday” for yourself and see what you think… does Meester has crossover potential, or will our favorite Upper East Sider join Lindsay Lohan, Jennifer Lopez, Hilary Duff and dozens more in the ranks of failed celebrity hyphenates?

P.S. If you can’t get enough of singing Gossip Girl stars, there’s more where that came from. Both Ed Westwick (Chuck) and Taylor Momsen (Jenny) have their own bands. Smooth Brit Westwick rocks out with The Filthy Youth, while Momsen at a mere 15 years old is opening for the Veronicas until June 30 with her band The Pretty Reckless. Typical Upper East Side overachievers— they just have to do it all, don’t they?