Fresh off this weekend’s premiere of “Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1,” Lorde hit the American Music Awards stage at L.A.’s Nokia Theatre to perform the movie’s theme song, “Yellow Flicker Beat.”
Introduced by Elizabeth Banks, who plays the District 12 champions’ escort Effie Trinket in the movie, Lorde began the song in stillness, with its foreboding chant. And then, she started head-banging and shaking through the performance, dancing around the stage with people dressed in plain white. At the end, she was surrounded by a crowd in darkness as she smeared her lipstick to the audience’s applause.
The “Royals” singer, 17, curated the soundtrack for the movie. “Yellow Flicker Beat,” which she also wrote and recorded, was released in September.
Lorde tapped a diverse cross-section of acts, both younger and older, to provide the music for the third installment of the hit young adult franchise. The LAVA/Republic Records release features collaborations from artists including Stromae feat. Pusha T, Q-Tip, and Haim, CHVRCHES, Tove Lo, Charli XCX feat. Simon Le Bon (of Duran Duran fame), Raury, ’80s legend Grace Jones, and The Chemical Brothers feat. Miguel.
Lorde was nominated for four AMAs categories: Artist of the Year, Pop/Rock Female Artist, Pop/Rock Album and Alternative Rock Artist.
“Mockingjay” grossed $123 million at the box office for its debut, the biggest box opening of the year.