It S Super Moving So Spontaneous The White Lotus Composer Explains Why Season 3 S Divisive Intro Theme Has Changed So Much

The White Lotus Season 1 intro theme was a catchy island riff with infectious vocals, and it was brought to the next level with Season 2, when creator Mike White requested that composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer include operatic elements into the theme to fit with the Italy setting. Titled Renaissance, the Season 2 intro theme resonated a lot better with fans, especially with its building energy with every four beats. And of course, the iconic vocals were there too. With Season 3, however, The White Lotus intro theme has done away with the vocals, and that’s resulted in a very mixed reception from fans since the premiere. The general beat and rhythm of the theme are still present, but there’s no denying that it just feels like something key is missing without the vocals. In an interview with Variety, Tapia de Veer explained that he pulled inspiration from TikTok when composing the theme. It’s worth noting that the Season 3 theme has a lot of build-up as well. However, given that this season is set to explore threads like religion, spirituality, and losing yourself in the wild, it made sense that the vocals would take a backseat, or not show up in the music at all. The intro theme is meant to take you deeper into Thailand’s jungle resort setting, with every build-up getting darker and more mysterious. The music is meant to evoke singing animals and beasts, which is certainly in line with all the monkey imagery we’ve been seeing in the premiere episode. It’s understandable that fans would be divided over this massive change, but I’m not complaining. If it fits the tone better, then I’m all for it. Besides, it might very well grow on you over the course of the next couple months. And the rest of the soundtrack is pretty damn good, too. The White Lotus Season 3 is now streaming on Max.