Olivia Rodrigo shocked her fans late last week when she shared some very good news. She had a new single coming, and it arrived just hours after she announced the tune. While she’s obviously interested in creating new work for the sake of being creative, this latest track could help her advance her career in other ways.
“Can’t Catch Me Now” arrived on Friday, November 3, just a few weeks before the album it’s featured on drops. The tune was written and recorded for the forthcoming film The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, a prequel to the massively successful Hunger Games franchise. Rodrigo’s new song will serve as the lead single from the movie’s soundtrack, which comes out the same day as the film—November 17.
Once the new Hunger Games movie hits theaters, Rodrigo will see her song become Oscar-eligible. “Can’t Catch Me Now” is reportedly featured in enough of the movie to be considered by Academy Award voters for the Best Original Song category, according to representatives for Lionsgate, the company behind the film. The track reportedly plays over the credits but is also in the movie itself—a prerequisite for Oscar consideration.
Still relatively new as a superstar, Rodrigo has never made a serious play for an Academy Award, but now she’s quietly throwing her hat into the ring. “Can’t Catch Me Now” is the type of tune that voters might be interested in supporting, as it’s mature, interesting, and likely fitting for the movie itself. How exactly it’s used in the film—and how the title performs—will also affect its chances at a nomination, and those queries are yet to be answered.
While the 20-year-old singer-songwriter may be new to the film industry, she has already found massive success in the music business. She has charted a trio of No. 1 hits and a pair of No. 1 albums. She is also already the recipient of a number of Grammys, and she may collect more nominations at the end of this week when nods are announced.
An Oscar nomination isn’t guaranteed—or even likely, as the Best Original Song race has become increasingly competitive in the past few decades—but it’s interesting to see the superstar step into this space for the first time.
The nominees for the 2024 Academy Awards will be announced on January 23, 2024.
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