Olivia Rodrigo has lent her musical prowess to the soundtrack for The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes with her song, Can’t Catch Me Now, which dropped earlier this month.
The High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star attended the movie’s red-carpet premiere on Tuesday, coinciding with the release of the music video for the song, which serves as the opening track to the 17-song soundtrack.
The Can’t Catch Me Now music video, directed by Leonn Ward, starts with Olivia singing inside an isolated cabin in a white corset dress. It then cuts to scenes from the movie as Olivia runs across the field.
Olivia Rodrigo opts for her signature ’90s look at the Los Angeles premiere of The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes held at the TCL Chinese Theatre on November 14, 2023 (Credit: MediaPunch / Cover Images)
Olivia, nominated for six Grammys at next year’s awards ceremony, stayed true to her signature ‘90s aesthetic and wore a black halter dress that flawlessly fit her slender physique.
Adorned with shimmering black micro sequins, the gorgeous column gown was a custom iteration of a white halter-neck dress from Rodarte’s Spring 2024 collection.
The bodice was artfully embellished with 3D flower appliques in shades of pink and purple, adding a stylish contrast to the classic LBD column silhouette. It was finished with a modest side slit cut just above her knees.
Olivia Rodrigo stuns in a shimmering black sequin dress with a halter neck and 3D floral appliques custom-designed by Rodarte (Credit: MediaPunch / Cover Images)
Fashion stylist Danielle Goldberg was responsible for Rodrigo’s evening look. Goldberg also works with celebrities, including Kaia Gerber, Laura Harrier, Camille Rowe, Lily Aldridge, and Kelsey Asbille.
Keeping the rest of her outfit minimalist, the Drivers License hitmaker accessorized with a ring and a set of dangling earrings.
When it came to her glam, Olivia wore delicate makeup with a hint of pink blush, winged eyeliner, bronze eyeshadow, and coral lipstick. She then parted her chocolate hair in the middle and allowed it to cascade down her back in natural waves.
Olivia Rodrigo wears her tresses down in natural waves and accentuates her features with subtle makeup (Credit: Abaca Press / INSTARimages)
Olivia was later seen on the red carpet with her bestie Conan Gray, who embraced the evening’s theme in a black suit with gold bird embroideries by Indian couturier Gaurav Gupta.
Styled by Katie Qian, Conan wore a white Dzojchen Fabric Lab Pearl Pellucid Silk shirt underneath, which he left open for an edgy spin. He paired the look with black flared trousers and pointed shoes.
Olivia Rodrigo poses with Conan Gray, who arrives in a black Gaurav Gupta blazer and an open white Dzojchen shirt (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)
Olivia Rodrigo on Writing Can’t Catch Me Now
Marking her first time writing a song for a feature film, Olivia told Entertainment Tonight on the movie premiere that it “was a really fun challenge” because most of her songs are about her personal experiences.
“It’s such an honor. I’m such a huge fan of The Hunger Games, and such a huge fan of The Hunger Games soundtracks, and so when they asked me to do this, I was so excited and so nervous.”
She added, “It was a really fun challenge for me as a songwriter because lots of my songs are kind of about my personal life. [They are] very diaristic and confessional. So, it was a wonderful experience to try to write something from the character of Lucy Gray. [She] is a character that I feel very connected to.”
Speaking about the song’s origins and the movie’s influence on its development, Olivia told Spotify’s For the Record, “After watching the film, I was fascinated with the mystery of what happened to Lucy Gray. I wanted to write a song that gave voice to her strength and power while also addressing the unanswered questions surrounding her life after the games.”
Olivia also told Variety that she didn’t hesitate about writing a song for the movie. “When they asked me if I was interested in writing for this, I was like, ‘Oh, of course! I’m such a fan of everything Hunger Games.’”