Labrinth is Invaluable to Euphoria
In the summer of 2019, HBO released a high school drama called Euphoria that became such a sensation that the season 2 premiere in 2022 reached 2.4 million viewers. On Twitter it was called “the strongest digital premiere night performance for any episode of an HBO series since HBOMax’s launch.” An incredible amount of the success and popularity Euphoria received is due to the artistry and storytelling that musician Labrinth adds to the narrative. Without Labrinth’s music, I may have never been enticed into watching the entire series and I believe that is true for many viewers whether they realize it or not. The reason Euphoria stands out compared to other recent high school drama series is the artistry that is present in the cinematography, make-up, costumes, acting, and music. All of these aspects are very intertwined with each other and the story in a way that draws in a large and passionate audience.
The story revolves around the main character Rue (played by Zendaya) who is struggling with bipolar disorder and addiction. In the first season, Rue falls in love and that relationship becomes her only reason to stay sober. By the finale, she realizes the consequences of falling in love while recovering from addiction and relapses. The season 1 finale ended with a climactic interpretive dance sequence to “All For Us” by Zendaya and Labrinth. The song features a unique combination of genres with a gospel choir rapping. In a YouTube video for Genius on the making of “All For Us” Labrinth talked about wanting to hear something unusual and unexpected. He said about the gospel rap lyrics, “no one’s ever made a choir say bitch.”
Later in that video, Labrinth explains that it was the show writer/creator Sam Levinson’s idea to add a marching band to the song which is shown in the finale dance scene. The combination of the enthusiastic choir and extravagant marching band create a feeling of hopefulness in the audience that Rue will find a way to survive despite her crushing circumstances. Zendaya’s vocals are the cherry on top of the sundae. The lyrics are so much more meaningful in this scene because it is coming directly from the character’s voice. It is no surprise that in 2020 “All For Us” won an Emmy for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics.
The songs that Labrinth created for season 1 of Euphoria turned into a full album once the audience created demand for it. “All of those songs became three-minute songs when the fans went crazy over the music. ‘Still Don’t Know My Name’ was literally a beat,” Labrinth said in an interview for Indiewire. Now that song has been used to make 1.4 million videos on TikTok. Many of those videos are from a trend during the summer of 2020 where teens and young adults did their best interpretation of Euphoria style make-up/outfits and lighting. Another track from the show called “Forever” has been used in 2.9 million TikTok videos. Often, the song is quietly playing in the background while someone tells you their latest theory about the show or performs a funny re-enactment of the latest episode.
The show’s popularity has opened it up to intense scrutiny. Although Euphoria is beloved by many, it is not without critiques. I’ve heard a wide variety of criticisms like excessive nudity, offensive writing, and inaccurate or overly-dramatized stories. Most often though, I hear people complaining that Sam Levinson does not have a writer’s room which results in plot holes and unresolved characters. For example, in season 2 there was a lot of conflict and tension with a drug lord named Laurie who Rue became indebted to but the season finale had no mention of this large debt and dangerous character that threatened to sell Rue if she didn’t repay her. It is a valid criticism and I hope it will at least be addressed in season 3.
Despite its flaws, I will definitely be excited to see what the next season and soundtrack will be. Even though Sam Levinson doesn’t typically work with a group of writers, he does work with Zendaya and Labrinth very closely to continue the storytelling beyond the dialogue. For example, in season 2 Rue enters a drug-induced spiritual dream-like state and envisions herself inside a church embracing Labrinth as he serenades her: “Hey, Lord, you know I’m tired.” Because Labrinth is so involved in the show, he was able to understand Rue’s character in that scene and perform with empathy. The unique sound of his music perfectly captures the complex emotions and characters allowing there to be less of a necessity for excellent dialogue/writing.
In an interview with the Rolling Stone, Labrinth said about the music he created for Euphoria, “When you look back to your teenage days it feels semi-magical but semi-crazy and semi-psychotic. I wanted to make sure the music felt like those things.” By drawing on his own personal experiences and working intimately with the show, Labrinth has turned the soundtrack of Euphoria into an integral part of the beloved storytelling.
