labrinth: the heartbeat of ‘euphoria’
Samantha Colleran, May 2026
the return of euphoria sundays has brought back lots of internet buzz. discussions of character development, important plot points, and the absence of core characters run rampant from the second it hits 9pm est on sunday nights. my group chat with my college friends starts going crazy as we discuss the episode in detail and continue to send each other theories and thinkpieces throughout the week.
one of the more noticeable losses isn’t a character or actor, although the absence of characters such as kat (barbie ferreira) and fezco (portrayed by the late angus cloud) are felt immensely. one of the main reasons euphoria gained so much attention was for its musical score, courtesy of english singer-songwriter, composer, and producer, labrinth. labrinth’s score served as the heartbeat of the entire show; his ability to capture specific emotions and understand the characters deeply to provide themes for them further enhanced the watching experience and added more depth to the overarching plot points.
watching the new season of euphoria, it’s a little bit harder to connect with, and for me personally, that has to do with the lack of a labrinth score. hans zimmer is a fantastic composer, but we’re four episodes in, halfway through the season, and i haven’t found myself getting excited about any part of the score. in fact, it sounds too reminiscent of other projects he’s done and lacks the originality and boldness labrinth brought with his compositions. the song playing as maddy walked into nate and cassie’s wedding felt too much like true romance, and euphoria is not true romance. (although it could have been a nod to season 1 episode 6 when cassie dressed up as alabama whitman for halloween, it didn’t make sense to have it play for maddy’s entrance.) i find myself longing to know what the genius of a labrinth score would add to the intensity of this season. i can feel the exact moments where his music should be, as can many other fans. his presence is missed so deeply, online creators have been replacing the zimmer score with labrinth’s previous releases to showcase what the season should sound like.
for someone like me who feels music so deeply in my body, labrinth’s music resonates on a molecular level. “nate growing up” makes my stomach turn (although it is an absolute banger and one of my favorite songs from the season one soundtrack), “skeletons (lexi needed a break)” will always fill me with an overwhelming sense of sadness and longing, the ten minute “euphoria funfair” is haunting and anxiety-inducing in the best way, the heart shattering “i’m tired” always feels like a gut punch, the list goes on and on and on. soundtracking pivotal moments in television shows can make or break a scene, one wrong choice can make what’s supposed to be a memorable scene forgettable. with euphoria, so much of the first two seasons are memorable in part due to the incredible cast who pour their all into these characters, but it’s mostly the soundtrack that pulses behind them. each character has a theme that runs deep through the score, it’s evident when something exciting or nerve wracking is about to happen based on the intensity of the music you’re hearing.
prior to the release of the season, labrinth took to instagram to share a post that essentially said fuck hbo, the music industry as a whole, and euphoria. it’s still unclear what exactly went down between euphoria creator sam levinson and labrinth, although in a now deleted instagram post he explained that he removed his music from the show because “when [i] work for someone, their vision is paramount to me, but [i] don’t let people treat me like shit”. despite what appears to be creative differences, labrinth praised levinson’s genius and ability to “put all the right people together” to create something special. and he’s right; although there are very valid criticisms of levinson, those first two seasons were truly something special.
euphoria has changed exponentially since its 2019 release. there are four years between the release of the second and third season; many factors delaying the release including the writers strike, many of the actors on the show becoming more popular and booking other roles (zendaya alone is part of four major 2026 movie releases), the untimely loss of angus cloud and executive producer kevin turen, and eric dane’s als diagnosis (note: dane reprises his role as cal jacobs in this season; despite his illness, you can tell he poured all he had into what is now his final acting role). while it’s normal for shows of this caliber to evolve, there’s such a large disconnect from what it once was, the magic that made it such a “can’t miss” and “you just had to be there” moment in popular culture is slowly fading.
there are still four more euphoria sundays left and many discussions that will surface as episodes drop; it’s evident that the major losses have greatly impacted the overall tone of the show. it’s hard to tell what all of this means for the future of euphoria, but ultimately, it may be time to let it rest once this season concludes. devastating losses left holes that can never be filled, and the heartbeat of the show was ripped away completely when labrinth’s departure from the show was announced. while every actor on the show has demonstrated the ability to bring these characters to life in such a real, unique way, many of them clearly have bigger and better opportunities that lay ahead in their acting careers, and for some, it’s clear their hearts aren’t 100% in it any longer.
i’m hopeful that labrinth will be given the same positive treatment now that he is no longer attached to euphoria. his upcoming album, COSMIC OPERA ACT II (set for a may 29 release, spotify presave here), and supporting tour will hopefully prove that there are people who want to see labrinth succeed beyond the euphoria universe and are willing to support his genius as an artist, producer, composer. i certainly can’t wait to hear what he’s been working on and how it differs from previous releases. you can listen to the first single, “SHUT YOUR DAMN 95.7892”, wherever you stream your music.
it’s for the better to leave euphoria as it is, a relevant and timely piece of pop culture that united us all when we needed it most. the score for the first two seasons shaped the show and provided us with a way to further connect with the characters and the plot. for that, we are forever indebted to labrinth.