Soundtrack Of My Life: Carrie-Anne Moss

The first song I remember hearing Elvis Presley – ‘Elvis’ Christmas Album’ “I grew up with a very musical family and my mum loved to sing and play guitar. Every Christmas, we would listen to all of Elvis’ great Christmas songs. I still [play that album] every Christmas because it reminds me of my childhood. We would also listen to Simon & Garfunkel on long car rides.” And rumour has it you were named after The Hollies’ ‘Carrie Anne’? “That’s true. It was Number One the day I was born. I guess my mum had a different name planned but she heard that song in the hospital and quickly changed it. Growing up, I had a record player and every birthday, we would play that song.” The first album I ever owned Barbra Streisand – ‘A Star Is Born’ “It had the song ‘Queen Bee’ on it and I would listen to it non-stop in our basement. I would also listen to Marvin Gaye’s ‘Sexual Healing’ a lot. Looking back now, it’s so funny to think of me and my friends all listening to that song as kids. I wanted to be a model when I was younger, so I would practice my catwalk to all sorts of different songs including ‘Love Will Keep Us Together’ by Captain & Tennille too.” The first gig I went to Rod Stewart, Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum, April 1979 “I went with my mum when I was about 11. After that, we saw Michael Jackson, Madonna and Prince. I remember those gigs so distinctly. I was so impacted by the performance and the dancing. I sang and danced when I was younger, so seeing someone like Prince gave me this high. It was very enriching and I remember leaving very inspired. “I also won tickets to see Shaun Cassidy, who I loved. I caught a drumstick and a towel that had sweat on it, which my mum then washed. I cried for a week. We didn’t have a lot of money so [going to gigs was always] really special. Looking at ticket prices now, how does anyone afford to go? It’s crazy.” The artist that reminds me of home MaMuse “They play this very melodic, beautiful music that has a very high vibration to it. When we were renovating the house that we live in now, my husband would always play them whenever we’d [go and] visit. When I lived in LA, it was Norah Jones. Her music just makes you feel like everything’s going to be OK. My husband is a big Grateful Dead fan, so we have that on a lot at home too. I never was into them before but I’ve fallen in love with them now.”Recommended The song I wish I’d written N/A “I appreciate a good song but I’m not a songwriter. I mean, I wrote a few songs when I was a kid that were super sweet. One of my favourite memories was hanging out with these two girls [that lived on the same street as me]. I’d babysit them, I taught them to tie their shoes and write their names on the sidewalk in chalk. One winter in Vancouver, it snowed and we were lying on our backs, looking at the stars and singing Christmas songs at the top of our lungs. It was just this majestic feeling. It was also very profound. “I believe singing is your soul expressing itself and there’s not really anything else [like it]. As an actor, you have those moments. But they’re rare and it takes a lot of work to find them. Whereas with singing, it just happens. It’s really interesting how that connection to our voice just instantly opens the heart. I’m envious of people that do that for work.” The song I can’t get out of my head Deepak Ram – ‘Kitu’ “That’s a hard one. I don’t really have one stuck in my head right now because I had a pretty music-less weekend. I was in love with ‘Buddha-Bar’ [compilation albums] in the 1990s and while I can’t find the same songs [that were on those albums] right now, I’m listening to a playlist that’s a version of it. It’s full of these really melodic songs and I love ‘Kitu’ by Deepak Ram. It’s this powerful, cool, mostly instrumental song. I was listening to it this morning while I fed our chickens, and that sort of lives in me right now. The chickens know that song too.” The song I can no longer listen to Anything from ‘The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album’ “I enjoy Christmas because everyone’s home and everything stops. I love to set the tone with music but I try not to turn it on too early. My daughter is 17 and last year, she started playing Christmas music right after Thanksgiving but I always skip The Beach Boys.” How do you feel about Rage Against The Machine’s ‘Wake Up’ which famously featured on ‘The Matrix’ soundtrack? “It’s just such a powerful song. One of the things I love most about having my kids is that they’ll listen to whatever’s hot at the moment, but then they [discover] all this music from my youth. I remember my boys playing [Rage Against The Machine] for me and it was really fun to rediscover that. My daughter turned me back onto Chris Isaak and Alanis Morissette, who I’m obsessed with. “It is hilarious watching them be surprised that I know these older songs. I love that they are finding [these songs, though], however they’re finding them. It always reminds me of a certain time in my life. Sometimes you think to yourself, ‘wouldn’t it be cool to be a teenager with your teenagers’ and [music] is actually a way you can do that.” The song that makes me want to dance George Michael – ‘Freedom’ “In my twenties, I was a model in Spain. We all lived in this little beach resort just outside of Barcelona. When we were waiting for the train [into the city], we’d watch music videos that cost a dollar to view. We’d play ‘Freedom’ on repeat. It had all those top models in it and I’m very much someone who craves internal freedom, so the words of that song, the melody of it, I just couldn’t get enough. I still love it.” The song that makes me cry Michael Andrews – ‘Mad World’ (Feat. Gary Jules) “I remember seeing Donnie Darko and that song just hit me. Whenever I play that song now, I still want to cry.” The song I do at karaoke Sinead O’ Connor – ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ “It’s such a beautiful song to sing. It’s in my range, so that’s helpful. I think all of her songs are just incredible. There’s a guttural-ness [to them] and there’s a story that takes you right there, right away.” The song I want played at my funeral Jai-Jagdeesh – ‘In Dreams’ “It’s just so beautiful, so I’d have that. Or whoever is planning the funeral can decide on a song that reminds them of me. I’ve been thinking about how important funerals are lately. It’s important to grieve and music is a big part of that.” ‘Yaga’ is on Sky and NOW from October 31