Anna Kendrick's Red Carpet Survival Playlist

Take it from someone who has camped out on countless red carpets, there is nowhere more chaotic, intense or deafening. I've often wondered how celebrities prepare for the onslaught of flashbulbs, screaming fans and microphones that lie in wait with any premiere, party or award show.

To answer that question, we turned to "Up in the Air" Best Supporting Actress Oscar nominee Anna Kendrick, who has walked her fair share of red carpets this year. As Anna prepares to strut her stuff down the world's most famous piece unfurled fabric at Sunday's Academy Awards, she revealed to PopWrap that music is her salvation -- in particular, this playlist, which has helped her get through award season in one piece!

PopWrap: What song helps you relax after a day of trying on countless dresses?
Anna Kendrick: "Fire Department" by Be Your Own Pet. Not actually a relaxing song, but I play it as loud as I can when I get frustrated with the vanity aspects of the whole process.

PW: How about when you just need a moment to escape?
Anna: "A Ramble In St. James Park" by Michael Nyman. An absolutely gorgeous piece of music from "The Libertine" score that I fell in love with when I bought the "Man On Wire" soundtrack. This song feels like it could suspend time.

PW: Is there a song you listen to in the car to mentally prepare for the flashbulb onslaught?
Anna: "Help I’m Alive" by Metric. I’m a diehard fan of anything Emily Haines touches and this song completely speaks to how I feel before I have to step onto a red carpet.

PW: What’s your most played song right now?
Anna: "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" by Chris Thomas King. I saw “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” again recently and this song hit me like a ton of bricks. I guess when I first saw it at 14, I was only paying attention to the girls’ songs.

PW: If one song could be played while you were actually posing on the red carpet, what would it be?
Anna: "The Boss" by James Brown. Another great song off a great soundtrack. As a film, "Black Caesar" is sort of insane but the soundtrack is amazing. This song makes me feel more confident that I ever really should

PW: What's the most surprising song on your iPod?
Anna: "Get It Together" by The Beastie Boys. Perhaps not so surprising that it’s on my iPod but that I’ve had it memorized since I was 13, an age I thought anything my older brother was listening to was worthy of vigilant study.

PW: We've previously talked about what a talented singer you are, so, if you could play any musician in a biopic, who would it be?
Anna: Laura Nyro. She died young of ovarian cancer. Possibly my all time favorite artist.