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Hear Lorde's First Song for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay?Part 1, "Yellow Flicker Beat"

Author

Christopher Duran

Updated on March 29, 2026

Lorde released the song on her Tumblr page, writing, "It's my first offering from what I hope will be a soundtrack you love. It's my attempt at getting inside her head, Katniss. I hope you like it." Well, Lorde, you've got one fan right here—I think you nailed it. The slower-tempo verses followed by a strong-beat chorus perfectly channel Katniss's understated-yet-calculated power. And listening to the lyrics, there's no doubt that Lorde is singing about our favorite tribute. For example:

__"They used to shout my name, now they whisper it" __A clear reference to the new stage of the rebellion occurring in Panem. And we already saw in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire what happens when you shout your allegiance to Katniss in a public forum. Better to go underground (literally).

__"Red, orange, yellow, flicker beat, sparking up my heart" __ Lorde's paying her respects to the girl on fire—and our favorite costume designer, Cinna (RIP).

"I'm locking up everyone who ever laid a finger on me" Katniss is basically kicking ass and taking names in Mockingjay, and her enemy No. 1 is President Snow. All I know is, I would not want to be a Peacekeeper in her path.

And I'm not the only one who thinks Lorde's lyrical talents were on point in "Yellow Flicker Beat"—bestie and VMA dance partner Taylor Swift has already declared her approval via Instagram.