Republic RecordsMonday sees the release of the soundtrack to the new movie The Hunger Games — Mockingjay: Part 1, and in an unusual move, all the artists who appear on the disc were chosen by one person: Lorde. The 18-year-old “Royals” singer was tapped by the studio to personally curate the soundtrack, and she came up with an eclectic mix of artists, ranging from ’80s icons like Duran Duran‘s Simon LeBon and model/actress Grace Jones, to Kanye West, Ariana Grande and R&B star Miguel.
“It was fun getting to just approach my favorite musicians and say, ‘Do you want to write something specifically for this project,'” Lorde told BBC Radio 1. “It was so much fun.” In many cases, she reached out to the musicians personally through social media; with others, she contacted them through their managers. That’s how Simon LeBon ended up on the project, and he tells ABC News Radio that he’s thrilled that a teenager like Lorde is such a fan of his.
“I am extremely flattered — flattered and honored really. I’m really over the moon about it,” says Simon. On the soundtrack, he’s featured on a song called “Kingdom” with “Boom Clap” singer Charli XCX. He says he was familiar with Charli because his bandmate Nick Rhodes had photographed her for a magazine. “He hasn’t stopped talking about her ever since,” laughs Simon. “He says she’s brilliant, fantastic, so I had checked out her music.”
Simon admits that before the Hunger Games project, he “wouldn’t say I was a fan” of Lorde’s. “I was aware of her and I thought, ‘I’ve got a lot of respect for her,'” he explains. Now, of course, he is a fan, and he appreciates the opportunity that being part of the soundtrack offers a band like Duran Duran. “You get a whole bunch of people who really maybe don’t even know who Duran Duran are, to listen to you singing and maybe some of ’em will get turned on to our music,” he explains.
Of course, Duran Duran has appeared on soundtracks before, most famously recording the #1 James Bond theme “A View to a Kill.”
In tapping such a wide variety of artists for the soundtrack — from pop, electronic and dance acts to eighties, R&B and rap stars — Lorde says she was trying to create a listening experience that would appeal to the masses.
“You really have to think about everyone else rather than yourself, so much, ’cause you’re involved with so many other artists and there are so many different demographics of people who are already into these films,” she told BBC Radio 1. “And I really felt responsibility to do something that they would like. And while it might not all be their thing, ’cause it’s quite broad, hopefully there’s something in it for everyone.”
The movie itself, which opens Friday, has a broad appeal too, chiefly due to its star, Jennifer Lawrence. “She’s great. She’s very cool. She lives up to the hype,” says Lorde of the Oscar-winning actress, who’s become a friend.
Simon LeBon says J-Law’s the main reason he was even aware of the movies in the first place. “I’m a massive fan of Jennifer Lawrence. I think she’s fantastic,” he raves. “So I’m kind of a fan of everything she does.”
Follow @ABCNewsRadio
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio
