If there is one thing that Olivia Rodrigo can do, it’s tell a good story. And that is exactly what she does in her latest single, “Can’t Catch Me Now.”
In this surprise collaboration with “The Hunger Games” franchise for their upcoming movie, “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” Rodrigo released the song “Can’t Catch Me Now,” where she tells the story of the complex relationship between the two main characters of the novel, Lucy Gray Baird and Coriolanus Snow. Despite the fact that these characters’ relationship stretches over an entire novel, Rodrigo is able to capture the essence of it in just a three-minute song. She truly captures the spirit of Lucy Gray Baird as she sings, “You’ll feel it all around / I’m here, I’m there, I’m everywhere / But you can’t catch me now.” Throughout the entirety of “The Hunger Games” series, we see pieces of Baird’s legacy living on through Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist of the original series, in her rebellion, and Rodrigo has a beautiful way of capturing that legacy in this song. Some fans have also speculated that the song is supposed to relate to Rue, a tribute from the first novel, and her influence on Katniss and the rebellion.
To make the song even more meaningful, Rodrigo’s idol and one of her musical inspirations, Taylor Swift, also wrote a song for the franchise called “Safe and Sound.” Similar to Swift’s ballad, Rodrigo’s vocals are as beautiful as they are haunting — it truly gives the song a dystopian feeling, which fits the genre of the novels. Ultimately, anyone who is a fan of “The Hunger Games” series is going to be a fan of this song.
While Rodrigo’s two albums have displayed her impressive vocal range, it is obvious that some styles fit her voice better than others, and I definitely think this song in particular highlights her voice. She sings in a soft voice that progressively strengthens as she builds up to the bridge of the song. She utilizes a multitude of harmonies during the bridge as she sings, “You can’t, you can’t catch me now / I’m comin’ like a storm into your town / You can’t, you can’t catch me now / I’m higher than the hopes that you brought down.” She continues to repeat these verses over and over again, and she increases the harmonies with each cycle, creating a unique, nostalgic sentiment that transports the listener back to the 2012 “golden-age” of dystopian book-to-movie adaptations.
“Can’t Catch Me Now” is unlike any other song that she has released. Rather than her usual pop, heartbreak ballads that normally make you want to sing, cry or dance, this song is eerie. It stays with the audience long after the final notes are played, just as Baird’s legacy stays with the characters of the novels.
