Must-see MV: Olivia Rodrigo – Can’t Catch Me Now

American singer Olivia Rodrigo is perhaps the most prominent Gen Z tastemaker in Western pop culture – a fact which the producers of The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes no doubt wanted to leverage for the film’s soundtrack. 

Can’t Catch Me Now, the 20-year-old’s musical contribution to the dystopian action prequel showing in Singapore cinemas, is a haunting folk song centred on themes of betrayal and vengeance. 

The music video follows Rodrigo as she moves through an idyllic but eerily empty countryside. The fact that it eschews fancy choreography, special effects or even a storyline is unsurprising, since it is ultimately meant to promote the film.

But in this case, the minimalist approach is strikingly effective. Watching Rodrigo passionately sing her way through the landscape is an almost hypnotic experience, thanks to her background as an actor and good looks.

It also allows the evocative imagery of her lyrics to shine, such as “sometimes the fire you founded/don’t burn the way you’d expect”. The words feel apt here, especially when interspersed with scenes from the film, which depicts the blood-soaked origin story of ruthless despot Coriolanus Snow. – Yamini Chinnuswamy

Chart Champ: Zhang Yuan – Guest

Many singers have a signature song. And for Chinese artiste Zhang Yuan, who also goes by the name Bird Zhang, that would definitely be his 2020 hit Guest.

Written by Chinese composer Wang Zeyan with lyrics by Wang and Zhang, the track has been a breakthrough for the latter. It is still popular a good three years after its release in October 2020.

In mid-2021, it entered KKBox’s Top Mandarin Weekly Singles Charts and has stayed there ever since, holding the No. 1 spot in the week ending Nov 16.

The ballad’s appeal stems from its heartbreaking lyrics, which tell of a man who gets invited to his ex-girlfriend’s wedding as a guest. Zhang’s restrained delivery, hidden behind a veil of gentility, adds to the pain and sorrow.

The tortured scenario about letting go likely resonated with many listeners, turning the track into a sleeper hit. It has been covered by Malaysian singer Priscilla Abby, local singer Boon Hui Lu and Chinese singer Sun Nan, even spinning off Cantonese and duet versions.

In June, Zhang kicked off a concert tour named after the song. – Benson Ang

Ace Album: Andre 3000 – New Blue Sun

One of the biggest surprise album drops of 2023 has to be the debut solo album from Andre 3000, best known as one-half of OutKast, the best-selling hip-hop duo of all time.

For his first album in 17 years, it is fair to say that most fans and pundits were expecting a hot rap offering. What listeners get instead is a record of flute instrumentals.

The American rapper plays several variations of the wind instrument, including the bamboo flute, the contrabass flute and the Mayan flute.

The songs are calming, therapeutic and, at times, austere – a melange of spiritual jazz and ambient music. In lieu of lyrics, the Grammy-winning artiste chooses instead to flex via long, convoluted and often humorous song titles, such as New Blue Sun’s opener, titled I Swear, I Really Wanted To Make A ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time.

It is not the musician’s first high-profile appearance as a flautist, though. He played on four songs in the soundtrack of the Oscar-winning science-fiction drama Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022).

Like American pop singer Lizzo, who famously incorporates her skilful flute-playing into her songs and live shows, Andre 3000 is playing a big role in making the wind instrument prominent again in contemporary music. – Eddino Abdul Hadi

Stream This Song: Yuki Hsu – Ti-Ti-Ta

Call Yuki Hsu cliched and outdated – not that the Taiwanese singer-actress minds. After all, nostalgia is in, according to her new single, Ti-Ti-Ta.

The electronic track was performed at her Oct 7 concert at the Taipei Arena and later released as a single.

The 45-year-old laments in the lyrics, “No matter how much you talk/you will not be able to keep up with the changes” and “No one cares that you have not evolved”.

Long-time fans of Hsu, whose career started in the late 1990s, would likely agree. They would be delighted to dance “ti-ti-ta” and march to the beat of their own drum. – Benson Ang

Singapore Scene: Gentle Bones – Same Same

Same Same is the sophomore album from home-grown singer-songwriter Gentle Bones.

It features all four songs from Exoskeleton, his EP released in May, including pop banger The Right Words and Please Excuse My Hesitation, a track that shows off his radiant falsettos and knack for sparkling melodies.

It also includes the upbeat Hey You, a single released in late October.

Same Same contains two previously unreleased songs too.

Better Off Alone harks back to the soaring arrangements of his early hits, only this time with skittering beats and electronic elements instead of folk guitars.

Meanwhile, Tonight Just Got Better is a sweet, romantic tune brimming with effervescence, and one that captures the bliss of newfound love. – Eddino Abdul Hadi