“It was a labor of love and passion,” admits musician Labrinth about composing the music for HBO’s ambitious teen drama “Euphoria.” Watch our exclusive video interview with Labrinth above.
“Euphoria” stars Zendaya as Rue Bennett, a high school student recovering from drug addiction. It’s a fever dream-like coming of age tale, told with confronting honesty from its young cast including Hunter Schafer as Jules, a troubled transgender girl and Jacob Elordi as Nate, a toxic jock hiding crippling sexual insecurity. The series has been acclaimed for its distinct visual aesthetic fostered by show creator Sam Levinson and Labrinth’s genre-bending musical score that melds electronic, R&B and hip-hop sounds.
“Everything was very instinctual,” Labrinth reveals about creating the various elements that come together on the show’s soundtrack. “The score is very representative of me, as a creator. It’s very hard to put a finger on exactly what it is genre-wise and tone wise, but it’s a very clear representation of what my soul looks like in creative form.”
SEE ‘Euphoria’: Does Zendaya deserve an Emmy for role as a teen addict
The British musician collaborated closely Levinson on the show’s sound, composing and performing original songs and cues that punctuate the show’s often hallucinatory teenage wasteland.
“Seeing Sam Levinson’s passion for telling this story,” he says, “I was instantly inspired because it felt like every character and every nuance of the show was carefully thought out and cared for. Everything was considered and when you watch the show you feel like that’s what you’re getting in the acting and the directing,” the composer explains. “For me as a first time composer I was inspired by Sam’s energy and that’s literally what you’re hearing on the show.”
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