Brittany Murphy Keeps Her Music Career Secret  5/29/06

Actress Brittany Murphy insists fans shouldn't be surprised to hear she can sing, because she has been recording anonymously for years.

The Just Married star is embarking on a pop career with the help of top British DJ Paul Oakenfold, but she admits working on her so-called debut album wasn't the first time she has set foot in a recording studio.

Murphy reveals, "I've been singing anonymously my whole life... I've sung the hooks on a lot of rap and R&B songs - I just never took the credit.

"Music has been a part of my soul since I was born. It's something that I've always done, but I've done it very quietly. Now I guess this is the beginning of doing it not so quietly."

Friends always knew the actress had a great voice after accompanying her on trips to karaoke bars.

She explains, "I'm a serious karaoke aficionado. I even have a T-shirt that says 'I love Karaoke'."

And talented Murphy confesses to being a proficient musician too: "I can play any instrument - just give me 20 minutes. I can play a little bit of everything by ear. The only thing I actually stuck to for a while was the trumpet."

Murphy's debut single Faster Kill Pussycat is released next month (JUN06).