In 2001, if you went to see Shrek in theaters, you probably walked out with a very specific, sugary earworm stuck in your head. It was upbeat. It was unapologetically bubblegum. It was "Like Wow," and the girl singing it seemed destined to be the next major pop princess.
Her name was Leslie Carter.
She had the pedigree. Her older brother was Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys. Her younger brother was Aaron Carter, the pre-teen king of Radio Disney. The industry saw a winning formula. DreamWorks Records threw a massive $350,000 budget at a music video filled with vibrant animation and Y2K neon aesthetics. "Like Wow" peaked at number 99 on the Billboard Hot 100, which wasn't a smash, but it was enough of a foothold.
Then, the album just... vanished.
The Mystery of the Cancelled Like Wow Album
It’s actually kinda wild how close Leslie came to superstardom. The debut album, also titled Like Wow, was fully recorded and ready to go. It featured heavy hitters like Diane Warren and producers who had worked with the Backstreet Boys. We’re talking about a high-budget, polished production that was originally slated for a June 2000 release, then pushed to April 2001.
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Why didn't it happen?
Behind the scenes, things were messy. Rumors swirled about "problems on the set" of her music video. There were reports that Leslie herself didn't even want to be a pop star. Stylus Magazine once noted that she felt intense pressure from her mother, Jane Carter, to follow in her brothers' footsteps. Essentially, she was a teenage girl being molded into a product she didn't believe in.
DreamWorks eventually pulled the plug. The album was shelved, and "Like Wow" became a "one-hit wonder" of sorts—though mostly as a soundtrack staple rather than a radio giant. If you want to hear the rest of the record today, you have to hunt for promo copies or leaks on YouTube. Honestly, some critics who’ve heard it, like Mike Saunders, called it one of the best bubblegum pop albums of that entire era.
Life After the Pop Machine
When the DreamWorks deal died, Leslie didn't just give up on music, but she did try to find her own voice. By 2005, she had ditched the glitter and the "Like Wow" persona for a much grittier sound. She formed a band called The Other Half.
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They were a pop-rock outfit. No more synchronized dancing.
She toured small clubs in Canada and even did a showcase in New York in 2006. She was trying to prove she was more than just "Nick’s sister." During this time, fans got a glimpse into the Carter family's chaotic reality through the E! show House of Carters. Watching it now is tough. You see the visible friction between the siblings and the weight of their collective fame. Leslie often seemed like she was struggling to find her footing in a family where everyone was a "brand."
The Tragedy and the Legacy of Leslie Carter
Everything changed in January 2012. Leslie had moved to upstate New York to be closer to family while trying to overcome a struggle with prescription medication addiction. She was only 25.
She was found unresponsive in her father’s home. The details from the police reports are heartbreaking. Her stepmother, Ginger Carter, mentioned Leslie had been feeling depressed and had fallen in the shower earlier that day. Despite attempts to let her "sleep it off," she never woke up. The cause of death was later confirmed as an accidental overdose of several prescription medications, including those used to treat anxiety and bipolar disorder.
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She left behind a husband, Mike Ashton, and a 10-month-old daughter, Alyssa Jane.
It’s a heavy ending for a girl who was once the face of a song called "Like Wow."
Why Leslie Carter Still Matters to Pop Fans
There's a reason people still search for Leslie Carter. It's not just morbid curiosity.
- The Song is a Time Capsule: "Like Wow" is the ultimate 2001 nostalgia hit. It represents a specific window in pop culture where everything was bright, loud, and hopeful.
- The "Shelved Album" Mystique: In the age of streaming, the idea of a fully completed, high-budget album being "lost" is fascinating. It’s a piece of pop history that was never allowed to breathe.
- The Carter Family Narrative: Leslie’s story is a crucial, albeit tragic, chapter in the Carter family saga. Following the later deaths of Aaron in 2022 and Bobbie Jean in 2023, Leslie’s struggles highlight the immense toll that early fame and family pressure took on all of them.
What You Can Do Now
If you’re a fan of early 2000s pop, don't just stop at the Shrek soundtrack. You can actually find most of the unreleased Like Wow album tracks on fan-run YouTube archives. Songs like "I Need to Hear It from You" show a side of her voice that was actually quite strong.
Also, her daughter, Alyssa Jane, has occasionally shared her own musical journey on social media, keeping her mother’s memory alive in a way that feels much more organic than the 2001 pop machine ever did.
Supporting mental health awareness and addiction recovery resources is the best way to honor the legacy of artists like Leslie. Organizations like MusiCares provide a safety net for those in the industry who are struggling behind the scenes, far away from the "Like Wow" lights.