Kate Hudson has been thrilled by the response to her new album

The blonde beauty - who played Penny Lane, a band groupie, in the 2000 movie - told PEOPLE: "I think [he] connected with the fact that I loved music and saw that in me, but he really blew the lid open for so much music for me. I was 19, and he just filled me with all this great music that I'd never heard.

"That was the beginning of everything for me."

Kate social media followers have praised her new record and they've even drawn a link between her on-screen character and her real-life self.

The actress-turned-singer said: "I do see everybody's response on Instagram, and there were a couple of things on there that just cracked me up. People are so funny.

"Somebody said something like, 'It was Penny Lane the whole time.' I was like, 'Oh, that's so funny.' It makes me happy that people connect to that and then are enjoying that I'm making music. That's so nice."

Kate has enjoyed huge success in the movie business. But she opted to pursue her musical ambitions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said: "I was like, 'If I don't do this, it'll be a great regret.'

"Sticking to status quo is not how I've ever lived my life. I've always been fearless in the decisions I've made, whether it is in relationships or in career, but this was the one thing that I was so afraid of. It's like I switched something in my brain, and I was like, 'I'm just going to do it.'"