Last month, Soundgarden were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Filling in for the late Chris Cornell were Pretty Reckless frontwoman Taylor Momsen and singer Brandi Carlile, who joined the band in performing “Rusty Cage” and “Black Hole Sun.”
In a new interview with the “Zach Sang Show,” Momsen reflected on the ceremony, describing it as an “incredibly emotional night” and “a wonderful evening.”
“First of all, I don’t know if you guys know but I love Soundgarden,” she said (as transcribed by Alternative Nation). “I don’t know if you’ve heard this about me [laughs]. So, to be there with them and to help them celebrate, and I’m so honored and thankful and so prideful for them. Like, I am so proud of them and so happy for them that I cannot even put it into words.”
She continued, acknowledging the gravity of stepping in for Cornell. “The whole evening was insane and emotional, and the weight of it was certainly not lost on me at all. So, there’s this kind of contradicting feeling always. But, it was beautiful and it’s so well deserved.”
Momsen is no stranger to sharing the stage with Soundgarden. She has performed with the band several times since Cornell’s passing in 2017, including at his 2019 tribute concert.
When asked if she would ever consider going out on tour with them, she didn’t rule out the possibility.
“I think that they are a force unto themselves that is unlike anyone else,” Momsen said. “They are some of my closest friends. I love them to death. And the reality is I’m here for anything they want or need. Like if they call me, I’m there. It’s that simple.”
Soundgarden’s Rock Hall induction also served as an unexpected reunion for the singer. The band was inducted by actor Jim Carrey – her “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” co-star, in which Momsen famously played Cindy Lou Who.
“And then the fact that Jim Carrey is the one that inducted them. When Matt Cameron told me that a couple of weeks ago, I think my head almost flew off my body [laughs]. I couldn’t believe what he was telling me,” she said. “Because, what are the odds of that? I haven’t seen Jim in 25 years. It’s right as we’re putting out this Christmas record. His favorite band is Soundgarden. My favorite band is Soundgarden.”
“It’s all the universe,” she added.
