Okay, if you have been following my blog for any length of time, you already know that I love Mike White’s The White Lotus. Like, a lot. The character development and writing are some of the best on-screen. Plus, it’s just such a sexy, lush show to look at. Hell, the first summer the HBOMax show aired, I hired a whole ass photographer to take photos of me floating in the pool that had “White Lotus vibes”.
And by “hired,” I mean I invited a very talented photographer friend (now a barber friend) over to hang out.
Full disclosure: I haven’t looked at these photos in a few years. At the time, I was thrilled with how my mid-40s body looked. Now, I’m almost 50, and I’m even happier with my body than I ever have been. This was not something I saw in the cards when I was growing up. I guess I just assumed I’d hate myself forever.
However, those have never been my favorite things about the show.
What has? The music.
From the instant the first episode aired, Cristobal Tapia de Veer’s theme was an icon. It perfectly captured the vibe of the show, which I could call “uncomfortable luxury.” The percussive, bright rhythms, alongside the flowy melodies, chants, and other primal sounds, perfectly matched the tense, dark richness that unfolds on our screens every Sunday night. Well, every Sunday night that we are lucky enough to get a new episode of Mike White’s genius.
When The White Lotus is in session, I admit it, I get a little obsessive. If I am left alone (like, if Mickey is out of town or something), I will watch every single episode leading up to that Sunday’s new one. Yes, that made for very long finale days. I only did this the first year, I think, but boy, did that experience lend itself to some theories in the years that followed.
None have them have ever been right, and that’s fine with me. Just goes to show that there are a lot of different imaginations every year.
Then, season 2 happened and I got a bit worried, cause HBO has been known to give and take away excellent theme songs before (looking at you, The Leftovers), and I didn’t want to lose this one.
And I guess I did, but I also didn’t, because Cristobal Tapia de Veer’s season 2 theme built on the original. I am not being hyperbolic when I say that the first time I heard it (and many times since), I cried.
It was perfect. Literally perfect. Like the first season, it got better and better each week as it fit the series (or the series fit it?). I am listening to it now to remind myself, and I have goosebumps (and I want to watch all three seasons over again immediately right now.)
Season 3 Theme Song
Now, before I get into The White Lotus season 3 theme song, which is a whole thing, I do want to say something.
I don’t really like anyone in this show. Nor do I aspire to be them. They are, to me, exaggerated displays of different types of humanity. And I love people watching, yo. The White Lotus is professional people watching.
But I know there are folks out there who don’t enjoy watching bad people be uncomfortable, and that’s fine, too! I just wish there was a “nice people being comfortable” version so they could see how incredible Mike White’s writing is.
Okay, so the season 3 theme song. This time, I anticipated it not with trepidation but with excitement. I was expecting the same magic I was surprised with in season 2 (which was probably a mistake on my part). Did I get it?
Nop. Nop, I did not. (if you don’t know me in person, yes, I mean nop. i say that a lot.)
And I wasn’t the only one who felt this way. There were tales of folks fast-forwarding through the theme song every week. I did not, because Mike White told us to stick with it; it would grow on us.
So I did. And it did. By the end of the season, I understood the theme song as a bigger piece of the puzzle. I still didn’t enjoy it as much as the previous versions, though.
Then I read about the drama between Mike White and composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer and got sad, because the man whose music was utterly important to the success of this show wouldn’t be coming back for season 4. There is no doubt in my mind that this show wouldn’t have hit as hard with a different composer. The vibes wouldn’t have been the same. The music was a character unto itself.
So, without the magic of Cristobal Tapia de Veer’s compositions, the vibes of The White Lotus season 4 will be off. It doesn’t have to be a bad thing, though.
This is the first season the show isn’t set in a tropical setting. It’s also the first season not filmed at a Four Seasons. So, the shift in music here makes sense.
As a person whose favorite musicians are composers, I started wondering who could do the vibes of this show justice.
I have three answers with one clear favorite.
Option 3: Ludwig Göransson
I mean, this fella can do everything from Community to Childish Gambino to Sinners, so why not this? He’s great at capturing vibes, and that’s exactly what this show needs.
He might simply be too busy, though.
Don’t know Ludwig? Here’s a good playlist to get you started:
Option 2: Nicholas Britell
I mean, he’s already worked with HBO to great success with Succession. He’s good at composing for rich assholes, which is an asset when it comes to The White Lotus.
Unfamiliar with Nicholas Brittell? Here’s a primer:
Mu Number One Choice: Lia Ouyang Rusli
This one is personal, because this was also my number one artist on Spotify this year. Hear me out, though. I really think she is the best choice because she can do the following:
- lush
- weird
- rich
- spare
- luxiourous
- dark
- light
- banger
- ballad
I could go on and on and on and on. But I won’t because her music can totally do the talking.
So, Mike White… if you’re reading. Hire Lia Ouyang Rusli to do the music for season 4 of The White Lotus. Do it for me, do it for her, do it for the plot, do it because it’s the right thing to do.
