Lorde On the 'Mockingjay Part 1' Soundtrack & Yellow Flicker Beat

Lorde sat down with David Farrier from 3 News New Zealand before her show at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles on Monday, and they spoke about Yellow Flicker Beat, the first single off the Mockingjay Part 1 Soundtrack, curating the album (she contacted artists via DM or selfie - how 2014) and her inspiration and vibe for the soundtrack. Have you been wondering about the humming at the beginning of Yellow Flicker Beat?

"we knew we wanted the song to start with these haunting, cracked hums.... because straight away you feel you're inside a head, which is what I wanted to do with Katniss."

Well, this is that weird world you live in now where we're so connected. Where you can see some kid on YouTube, then the next minute you're hanging out. To me that's crazy.

It's pretty crazy. But I rely a lot on that in my professional life as well. I have been putting together The Hunger Games soundtrack and probably half the artists on there, I sent them a DM. Or a selfie on Instagram on private, saying, 'Can you email me?' It really is easy to reduce the steps in talking to someone and people appreciate it if you talk to people one-on-one. And I do it with fans too, send them a DM. They appreciate it and it's cool.

That soundtrack, curating that, with those people - I mean that must be a dream! Because the film itself is a great film, and then you can swoop in there and they've given you, I understand - pretty free reign...

Yeah the whole thing!

 

From Lorde's instagram "MOCKINGJAY"

Where do you begin? Are you just drawing up lists of names and people and…

Well yeah, where I started with that was the director and I had a conversation, and he had this idea of this kind of Appalachian-folk vibe. And I kind of extended that... obviously I am not going to write music which is rooted in Appalachian folk! But I found some awesome 1920s spiritual standards, folk songs, like 'Lonesome Traveller', 'Wayfaring Stranger', 'Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child', all these kind of beautiful haunting, really intense songs that I thought were a good starting point for me. Then I wrote my song inspired by those. And then when I was going to other artists I sent references to what I was vibing, and I broke down the film from my perspective and what I felt it needed musically, and took it from there. So we built it from the ground up.

And as far as writing 'Yellow Flicker Beat', was that done on tour buses? In strange cities? When you were back in New Zealand? Because for your fans they just suddenly have this thing.. whereas for you..

Yeah it's a whole process! Well the lyrics in the beginning of that were based on something I'd written about myself, and I hadn't thought about them being in the world of The Hunger Games, and then Joel [Little] and I went into the studio and we knew we wanted the song to start with these haunting, cracked hums.... because straight away you feel you're inside a head, which is what I wanted to do with Katniss. And I stumbled across this lyric and thought 'That's kind of interesting'... the idea of repurposing everything that is kind of flawed, or wrong with Katniss, and making her this princess, this warrior. And she's a cool character to write for.

She's a cool cat.

She's a cool cat for sure.

Those hums work though, right? It's like you're in a brain.

Yeah, that's the vibe! 

And it goes off live. I saw a video someone had taken of it the other night, and it's pretty haunting and it works pretty well.

People have been super into it live, it's been a fun one for us.

You get feedback direct on things like Twitter, and when you bring it out on stage the response is huge.

I am excited about it. I'm happy I got the chance to write it because I feel it's very... it goes hand in hand with the film and the project. I don't think it would have been a song I would have written on my own. I needed to draw on someone else's well of aggression and trauma and all that sort of thing, to try and write this really intense thing.

Well that's the thing, you're still working right, so you're not sitting back and going 'Oh I've made it'.

Absolutely, and again doing the soundtrack has been a big thing for me, because it's been such an undertaking, you don't realise before you do something like that how much more there is, and how challenging it is to answer to a billion dollar franchise! And I've been doing it, basically, solo.

Yeah, it's playing shows and being on that laptop until 4 in the morning!

Yeah, and that's another thing that I feel like - I dunno - it's another thing that I am just trying to put all the pieces together so I dunno, I think it's cool, so yeah [laughs]

Have you seen the film?

I am actually seeing it tomorrow. I've seen parts.

So the last month.. what's been the most surreal bit for you? Weird Al. South Park. Cover of Elle. Greek Theatre…

I gee whiz, I don't know, I am not allowed to talk about any soundtrack artists yet…

 

The music video for Yellow Flicker Beat debuts tomorrow! Check out more MJ 1 soundtrack details HERE. 

And you can read the rest of the article on Lorde HERE. 

Liam Hemsworth Talks 'Mockingjay Part 1' in Cineplex Magazine

There's a feature on Liam Hemsworth in the new Cineplex Magazine (download the PDF here). Liam opens up about Gale's changing role in the next two films, shooting in some intense locations in Europe and what he'll remember most about The Hunger Games franchise.

Hey, Cineplex, I think your photo is actually from MJ Part 2! 

How does Gale become more important in Mockingjay?
The first two films Gale basically has to watch Katniss go into these games, and watch Peeta go into the games, and is kind of helpless from doing anything. And now in Mockingjay - Part 1 we pick up in District 13, which was bombed years earlier and now has a secret underground base. Gale is a big part of the uprising and the rebellion, and someone who’s had enough of all the abuse and is ready to stop at nothing to take down the Capitol.

You lost a lot of weight for the first film, did you keep it off for the filming of the entire franchise or did you go up and down between films?

The first two yes, and then the last one he’s in District 13 where he’s actually fed a little bit more…. He’s not hunting for food anymore so he’s a little bit less hungry [laughs].

Did changing your look change your perception of yourself, or Hollywood’s perception of you?
You know, it’s a character. You always, when you do a character, want to look different than what you look like in real life. There were a number of things I did in the first one that I thought were right for the character and I thought would do the character justice. Hair colour was the other big one.

They chose to shoot many of the Capitol scenes in Paris and Berlin rather than, say, somewhere in the States. What did that add to the look and feel of the films?

Well, we shot in various locations outside of Berlin which were broken down war posts and things like that, and then in Paris there were various buildings that we shot at, some very interesting architecture that will be seen in the film. The specific building in Paris that we shot in and around had a very heavy vibe about it, lots of concrete.

Click to read more ...

New Details on the 'Mockingjay Part 1' Soundtrack: Tracklist & Video Release Dates

Thanks to our friends as QuarterQuell.org, we have some new details on the Mockingjay Part 1 original soundtrack. According to an industry press release from Universal Music Group (under which Republic Records, who will release the MJ 1 OST, operates) the track list of the Lorde-curated disc will be released on Tuesday, October 21st via press release, along with highlights from the Soundtrack.

In addition to this, Lorde's music video for "Yellow Flicker Beat" will debut on VEVO Thursday, October 16th - that's THIS Thursday! 

Lorde will take over SiriusXM's Alt Nation November 14-16 to world premiere the soundtrack. She'll also be performing on "major" TV in November.

So, to recap, your important Soundtrack dates are:

• Thursday, October 16th - Lorde's music video for Yellow Flicker Beat debuts on LordeVEVO
• Tuesday, October 21st - Mockingjay Part 1 Original Soundtrack tracklist & highlights via press release
• Friday - Sunday, November 14 - 16 - Lorde Sirius XM Alt Nation Takeover to Debut The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 Original Soundtrack 
• Tuesday, November 18th - Soundtrack released

Stay tuned for updates - we will post them as we find out more!  

Jennifer Lawrence at the 'Serena' Premiere in London

Image courtesy Studiocanal UK

Jennifer Lawrence attended the Serena gala premiere at the British Film Institute Film Festival tonight at Vue West End in London. 

It's SO great to see Jennifer being Jen! 

Jennifer was joined by Director Suzanne Bier onstage to introduce the film to the screening audience. 

Serena will be in UK cinemas October 24th. 

Another Set of New 'Mockingjay Part 1' Stills!

 

Another set of Mockingjay Part 1 stills have surfaced online! Check out  Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen and Julianne Moore as President Coin in what we now know is called the Collective Room in District 13. 

We've also got a look at Wes Chatham as Castor and Natalie Dormer as Cressida. It's awesome to see her full vine tattoo! This HAS to be the Hanging Tree scene!

Peacekeepers, presumably in District 7. 

Thanks to QuarterQuell.org for the UHQ versions. 

Happy Birthday Josh Hutcherson!

Happy Birthday to our perfect Peeta Mellark, Josh Hutcherson. Hope you're having a great day, Josh!

New 'Mockingjay Part 1' Still - Katniss in District 12

Volga Film (Mockingjay Part 1's Russian distributor) is on fire today - they debuted a second Mockingjay Part 1 still on their twitter account, this one is Katniss plucking a perfect rose from a vase of wilted roses. Obviously, the scene where she goes back to the ashes of District 12:

My nose twitches. It's the smell. Cloying and artificial. A dab of white peeks out of a vase of dried flowers on my dresser. I approach it with cautious steps. There, all but obscured by its preserved cousins, is a fresh white rose. Perfect. Down to the last thorn and silken petal.

And I know immediately who's sent it to me.
President Snow.

See today's other new still, Gale Hawthorne in the Armory HERE. 

New 'Mockingjay Part 1' Still - Gale and Beetee

Volga, the Russian distributor of Mockingjay Part 1, tweeted a new still from the film this morning. Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne looks pretty serious as he tests out some of Beetee's special weapons in the Armory. It looks like it could be this scene from Mockingjay:

I focus my attention on a lethal looking bow so loaded down with scopes and gadgetry, I'm certain I can't lift it, let alone shoot it.

"Gale, maybe you'd like to try out a few of these," says Beetee.

"Seriously?" Gale asks.

"You'll be issued a gun eventually for battle, of course. But if you appear as part of Katniss' team in the propos, one of these would look a little showier. I thought you might like to find one that suits you," says Beetee.
 
"Yeah, I would." Gale's hands close around the very bow that caught my attention a moment ago, and he hefts it onto his shoulder. He points it around the room, peering through the scope.
 
"That doesn't seem very fair to the deer," I say.

"Wouldn't be using it on deer, would I?" he answers.