Labrinth speaks out about ‘Euphoria’ season 3 exit

Composer says he stepped back after feeling disrespected, insisting creative vision matters but personal limits do too

Labrinth has addressed his decision to remove his music from the upcoming third season of Euphoria, sharing a blunt explanation with fans through a series of Instagram Stories that quickly circulated online.

The British singer songwriter and composer, who helped define the sound of the HBO drama during its first two seasons, confirmed that he chose to withdraw his contributions after tensions surrounding the project. His music became one of the most recognisable elements of the series, shaping the emotional tone of several major moments.

In the statement shared on Instagram, Labrinth wrote

“PEOPLE WILL COMFORTABLY LIE IN THIS INDUSTRY AND STILL CALL THEMSELVES HONEST PEOPLE

SO NO CAP

I DECIDED TO REMOVE WHATEVER MUSIC I HAD IN IT

I SPOKE TO HBO AS FAS AS I KNOW WE ARE COOL

I LEFT BECAUSE

LAST TRUTH

WHEN I WORK FOR SOMEONE, THEIR VISION IS PARAMOUNT TO ME. BUT I DONT LET PEOPLE TREAT ME LIKE SHIT.”

He said that honesty within the entertainment industry had become difficult to trust. He wrote that people in the industry can “comfortably lie” while still presenting themselves as honest individuals. He added that he ultimately decided to remove the music he had contributed to the third season.

The musician also revealed that he communicated directly with HBO about the situation before stepping away. According to his message, the conversation with the network remained civil and he suggested that relations between both sides were still calm after the decision.

Labrinth explained that his departure was connected to personal boundaries within professional collaborations. He stated that when he works for someone, the creative vision of the person leading the project becomes extremely important to him. However, he added that respect remains equally essential, saying that he does not allow people to treat him badly.

His comments arrived weeks after earlier social media posts in which he strongly criticised the project and suggested that he was stepping away from the entertainment industry altogether. Those earlier posts were later deleted, but they sparked widespread speculation about his future involvement with the series.

Labrinth originally composed the score for the first two seasons of Euphoria, working closely with the show’s creator Sam Levinson. His atmospheric production style became deeply associated with the drama’s identity, and songs such as ‘All For Us’ featuring Zendaya helped cement the series’ cultural impact.

Despite early plans for Labrinth to collaborate with Academy Award winning composer Hans Zimmer on the new season’s music, reports confirmed that Zimmer will now handle the score alone.

Creator Sam Levinson later acknowledged Labrinth’s departure during interviews, praising the composer’s role in shaping the sonic identity of the show while also indicating uncertainty about the exact reasons behind the exit.