Posted by Emily Exton on 07/06/2011 at 3:40 PM News

Beyoncé is currently siting at number one on the Billboard 200, Kelly Rowland’s album Here I Am is weeks away from cementing her star status and now Michelle Williams has released a “buzz single,” her first new music since 2008. It’s like a Destiny’s Child reunion! (Sort of.) While we’ve written about the other two former DC members at serious length, Williams return to the pop charts—by way of a gospel detour—is certainly welcomed. And with it comes the arrival of “Love Gun,” a new breath of synth-filled pop air off her fourth solo album set to drop later this year. Produced by Druski, Williams describes the new track as “inspirational pop” in the vein of Natasha Bedingfield and Katy Perry (although a song with a weapon in its title may have a hard time achieving “inspirational” status, particularly among youngsters, but we like her aspirations and her influences). Take a listen below:

With a “Dynamite“-like intro, and pretty basic pop formula, “Love Gun” seems like it has the potential to reach a more mainstream fan base than “We Break The Dawn” from her 2008 album Unexpected. During their prime it felt like Williams often got the scraps of the DC songs, so it’s nice to see her take charge of an entire song and try her chances as a legitimate pop star. But is she simply recycling other artists’ proven methods of success? Like Beyoncé, Williams has dropped Matthew Knowles as her manager, and is reportedly working with producers Rico Love and Jim Jonsin, who’ve crafted hits for B, Rowland, Lil Wayne and Kanye West between them. With an official single coming in August or September, does Michelle Williams have a chance at emulating some of the success her former groupmates have achieved, or—gasp—actually competing with them on the charts?

[Concrete Loop via Idolator]