I think I need to live a little before I start my next project

At the American Music Awards on Sunday night, Lorde turned in a haunting performance of Yellow Flicker Light, her contribution to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 soundtrack, which she has also curated. The 18-year-old decodes the 14-track album that also contains music from Charli XCX, Grace Jones, The Chemical Brothers....

What inspired you to write the song?

Basically, I wrote Yellow Flicker Beat specifically for the movie, it wasn’t something that I had to draft up previously. I read the books (by Suzanne Collins) again, and I just wanted the audience to feel what Katniss (Everdeen) is feeling in that film and understand what the crazy stuff that goes on is. There are certain incidents in the book which are really crazy and that inspired me to just make something kind of dark and haunting.

About the soundtrack, where do you begin?

We started from scratch. I had a talk with Francis (Lawrence, the film’s director); he had this idea to infuse some Appalachian folk vibe. Something that I then took forward. I didn’t really write music which was rooted in Appalachian folk but I took references from some awesome spiritual folk songs from the 1920s. These were songs with a sense of beautiful haunting, really intense creations from which I took my inspiration. While approaching other artistes, I sent them references to what I was vibing. I broke down the film from my perspective and tried to give what I felt it needed musically.

As far as writing Yellow Flicker Beat, was that done on tour buses? In strange cities? When you were back in New Zealand?

Yeah, it was a tedious process. The initial lyrics of that were based on something I’d written for myself. I never really thought of them being in the world of Hunger Games. Joel and I were in the studio and we were certain that we wanted these haunting cracked hums at the start of the song because they make you feel you’re inside a head, which is exactly what I wanted to do with Katniss. She is a fun character to write for.

Did you put together a dream list of artistes you were aiming for?

I just quickly thought of a list of people I wanted to have a conversation with. Then it occurred to me — you have to keep this about the film; the artistes that you choose have to embody and reflect the film and the kind of story that this is. I really controlled myself and didn’t misuse this power and responsibility I was trusted with. Everyone was chosen keeping in mind the vibe of the movie.

How all-consuming was the task of putting together this outstanding soundtrack?

It was mad. This happened over the time I was touring America. I had to juggle between these two massive projects and for three months all I did was listen to the list of songs, which I must admit was interesting. It was pretty all-consuming because it was the only thing I thought about all day. Nothing ever has been this important and I’ve never thought so hard about making decisions, ever.

For your contribution to the soundtrack, was it essential to separate the creative process from how you would construct a typical Lorde song?

Everything from the lyrics to the music was created around Hunger Games. It had to be around the storyline and filled with those feelings the movie has. Everything I wrote, it wasn’t really me writing about myself but it was about the movie right from the start.

Yellow Flicker Beat in particular feels more mature than tracks on your debut album, Pure Heroine.

Absolutely. I’m not sure if I could have come up with this soundtrack without the inspiration I got from the movie, its end, the turning point and most importantly the headspace of Katniss. Writing such a song based on my life experiences wouldn’t really be possible. It’s more mature than Pure Heroine for sure and that is something I am proud of. I’ve given special attention to the lyrics of this song.

Once this project was complete were you ready for a vacation or still pumping on all creative cylinders?

I was confused. I wanted to do a bit of both actually. Sometimes I went, “I’m so excited about properly writing again” and sometimes it was like “I need to go and do some fun s**t first”. The very moment I started off with this project, I had this amazing creative ability in the back of my tour bus at 2am, I found it so inspiring and fulfilling to write again. Having said that, I think I need to live a little before I start my next project.

Chitchat with Jimmy Fallon

Origin of her name

I wanted something aristocratic and fancy. So I thought of Lord but I wanted to feminise it. At home they call me Ella. My friends have found out a way to embarrass me when we are in public places. They say: “Is that Lorde?” And it spreads. Supermarkets... it’s so bad! (Her real name is Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor.)

When Royals (her hit song) found no takers

They said: we hate to break it to you but it’s not going to fit anywhere. They were like, we can add some more stuff to it. I was like no, no, no. So, I put it out on SoundCloud. Did it matter?! I like it, I’m proud of it. Maybe someone else would like it. So what you hear is literally the demo, the demo instrumentation.

The Grammy experience

The Grammys were terrifying. It was my first encounter with people who I had only seen only on TV. Oooh Beyonce... when you see someone as famous as her, you do this thing.... uhhhhh.

Being Taylor Swift’s manager!

She is really funny though people expect her to appear very dry. So, we were at this Grammy party. This was before the Grammys. There were all these people. But I found her and clung to her. There was a guy who wanted her to play some of the stuff he had. He talked to us for 10 minutes and she was obviously nice about it. When we got to the end of the conversation, he said: “I’ll leave my card. Is this your manager?” There was no big pause. She said ya. So I was Taylor Swift’s manager... tiny, gothy, hunched-like person. The worst part was I performed that night, half an hour later.

Lorde tells her tweeps

What was your initial reaction to being approached with the Hunger Games soundtrack?

Super pumped but also “do they know I have no idea how to make a soundtrack” *wide-eyed face*

How did you juggle the USA tour and curating the Hunger Games album? And manage to do both flawlessly.

The answer is a lot of Vitamin C and supplements and late nights. Ho ho ho.

The funniest thing that happened while working on the music video for Yellow Flicker Beat.

I walked into the set in socks to practise the fall and ripped my foot open on a staple. LOL blood everywhere.

Why cover Ladder Song by Bright Eyes on the soundtrack?

To me it felt like the perspective of a divine being (or even a modern-day reader) looking down at the events in Panem. ‘No one knows where the ladder goes’ felt like a really sad, pretty sentiment after so much bloodshed/ for the greater good.

Songs you can dance to on the soundtrack.

I suggest All My Love, Dead Air and Scream My Name!