Leighton Meester feels a sense of heightened reality when she sings on stage.
The 28-year-old star shot to fame playing Blair Waldorf in teen drama Gossip Girl, but has slowly been making moves into the music industry.
She released debut album Heartstrings in October and says performing her music live can seem dreamlike at times.
"It's definitely not acting, but I would say that there is an element of heightened reality. I don't think that it's something that I can put on, I think it's something that's inherent in the situation and going out to sing and play and convey a feeling and at the same time, remembering the feeling of each song, and connecting with an audience - it's all so surreal," Leighton explained to Lucky magazine.
"But no, I would say it's the opposite of acting in that it's the most personally vulnerable and truthful that I feel. Because they're seeing me - it's as vulnerable as it gets."
While music is taking up a lot of her time, Leighton hasn't turned her back on acting. She can next be seen in TV movie Any Tom, Dick, or Harry. She also found time to marry Adam Brody earlier this year.
Expanding on the difference between acting and singing, Leighton summarises that when performing music, there is nothing you can hide behind.
"When you're acting, they're seeing you, but you have the shield or the protection of the character. You can rely on someone else. In real life there's not as much risk, because it's just you and there's no audience, but when you're playing and there's an audience and you're looking at them and knowing that there's no shield and there's no fourth wall there, it's as open as you can be," she smiled.
