Gossip Girl Star Penn Badgley Covers Jeff Buckley in New Video

Jeff Buckley's 1994 studio album Grace remains one of the most heartbreaking pieces of music ever released. An album that influenced much of the music in the decade in the decade to follow, it was made even more tragic by the fact that Buckley accidentally drowned three years later. Even though Grace was Buckley's ony album (aside from a posthumous release titled Sketches for My Sweetheart, The Drunk), it cemented his legacy as one of the most brilliant songwriters of his generation. 

Now, fifteen years after his death, Buckley is being portrayed by Gossip Girl actor Penn Badgley in the upcoming film Greetings from Tim Buckley. The film will focus on Jeff's pre-Grace years, as he deals with the legacy of his deceased father and eventually performs his songs in a 1991 concert.

For those unsure of whether Badgley, known for playing Dan Humphrey on the CW's Gossip Girl, would be able to cope with playing one of the most influential musicians in recent memory, there's this performance to assuage your fears. 

In an unscheduled performance at Brooklyn’s Cameo Gallery this weekend, Badgley delivered a rendition of Buckley's "Lilac Wine," a Nina Simone cover that appeared on Grace. And while Badgley certainly doesn't have the same level of talent as Buckley, this cover version was surprisingly enjoyable. You can watch the performance here.

You can watch Badgley on Gossip Girl when the show returns to the CW for its sixth season on October 8.