Las Vegas Weekly

Clinton Sparks on a ‘Gossip Girl’ duet and other treats

The Vanity DJ is debuting as an artist and working with a television starlet

DJ Clinton Sparks parties with actress Leighton Meester at the Hard Rock Hotel.

Photo: Scott Berry/Hard Rock Hotel

Every Saturday, Boston-bred DJ Clinton Sparks spends his night at the Hard Rock, working the tables at the property's swank new nightclub, Vanity, and snapping pictures with whatever celebs have been tapped to host the evening's festivities. But in the six days between his Vegas gigs, Sparks isn't exactly catching up on sleep. The former Body English resident has been keeping busy on a number of big secret and not-so-secret projects. From a hotel room in Toronto last week, he told the Weekly about a few of the big things and tasty plans on his agenda for the coming year.

Spending some time away from the decks, Sparks has been putting in time as a producer, crafting a single for everyone's favorite rapper on a boat, T-Pain, as well as teaming up with Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester on her first musical effort. The album, titled Love Is A Drug, is scheduled for release on Universal Republic early this year.

Sparks is even picking up the microphone for a duet with the 23-year-old Meester, who he said was a stranger to him until he heard her sing in the recording studio. "I don't even know the show Gossip Girl," he laughed. "You would think being on E! I would know these things."

Photo: Denise Truscello/WireImage

Leighton Meester performs at Tao inside The Venetian on Jan. 2, 2010.

Though he originally had written their song with Fergie and Will.i.Am. in mind, after hearing Meester sing, Sparks says he decided to save the tune for her.

"She does a verse. I do a verse. We alternate singing," Sparks explained.

The number won't be the last of Sparks' vocal endeavors. "I'm coming out as an artist," he said, adding that his single will be out at the end of February.

The DJ is keeping a few things close to the chest, however.

"I can't really tell you exactly who I met with the other day, but I just met with the biggest label that's out right now with all the superstars on it. I played them all my music and all the heads of A&R, the CEO, everybody was like, 'Oh my God, you're a superstar. You could be breakthrough artist of the year.'"

That is, if he's not too busy baking.

Sparks also has one serious sweet tooth, and apparently, the Daily 10 correspondent is working on starting a dessert company alongside his mom. Sparks said she's known among his friends for something he calls a "gooey cake." So if you see those on the menu at Vanity between the Grey Goose and the Patron, you'll know whom to thank.