Euphoria: Composer Labrinth Says He’s ‘Done with This Industry’ and Drops an Unreleased Track
In an Instagram post, euphoria composer Labrinth declared he was “done with this industry, ” directed expletives at Columbia Records and the show, and followed the message by releasing an unreleased track online. The moment landed amid public praise for his past work and new collaborators joining the series’ music team.
Euphoria: What Labrinth said
Timothy Lee McKenzie, known professionally as Labrinth, wrote on Instagram that he was “done with this industry, ” adding the words “F–k Columbia. Double f–k Euphoria. I’m out. Thank you and good night x. ” The post included the shorter line “I’m out. Thank you and good night. ” The composer had written the score and contributed several songs to the first two series of the television drama, and one of his songs, “All For Us, ” won him an Emmy Award.
Those messages arrived after public developments in the show’s music lineup. Last year, the production recruited composer Hans Zimmer to work on the forthcoming third season alongside Labrinth; Labrinth had earlier welcomed Zimmer’s involvement, calling it “Another chapter in the Euphoria universe! So great to join Hans, one of my heroes in film score, and bring some new magic to this new season. ” Zimmer, in turn, praised Labrinth, saying “Labrinth’s music has shaped the show’s identity and I’m looking forward to contributing to the ongoing story and helping shape this new season through music. “
Reactions, release and remaining questions
The Instagram post prompted responses in the comments from fellow musicians. Kesha wrote, “Take care of your peace my love. You are loved and supported. ” India Arie added, “I SO FEEL YOU. TY AND GN. ” Labrinth also released an unreleased track on the internet following his retirement announcement and his critique of the series.
Representatives for Labrinth, Columbia Records and HBO were approached for comment. It is not clear whether the music Labrinth composed for the forthcoming third season still features in the series, or what precisely prompted the rift between Labrinth and the show. The third series is set to include a time jump that moves characters beyond high school, and the season has been described as eight episodes in length.
Human and industry impact
Labrinth’s scores and songs have been widely noted for shaping the show’s atmosphere; the series helped boost or launch the careers of several young actors who went on to greater visibility. The public split and the posting of an unreleased track put a spotlight on how tightly entwined a show’s identity can be with the artists who create its sound. For Labrinth, the move combined a personal decision — stepping away from the industry — with a public airing of grievances aimed at his label and at the series that elevated some of his work.
Hans Zimmer’s earlier comments framed Labrinth as a defining musical voice for the show and signaled collaboration rather than replacement. Zimmer’s perspective functions as a specialist view from within the composing community, noting both Labrinth’s influence and a willingness to contribute to the season’s continuing musical story.
The immediate responses — supportive messages from fellow musicians, the release of unreleased material, and public statements of involvement from other composers — are the visible actions taken so far. Beyond that, questions remain unresolved: will Labrinth’s existing contributions stay in the season’s soundtrack, how will the music credits be finalized, and what will Labrinth’s departure mean for collaborators and for audiences who associated the show’s sound with his work?
Back on the Instagram post where the exchange began, the tone now reads differently: what opened as a terse goodbye has become both a protest and a public chapter in an ongoing creative dispute. As the unreleased track circulates and the season approaches, the industry and listeners alike are left weighing the loss of a distinctive musical collaborator against the possibility of new voices joining the show’s sound. The question at the center of it all returns to that opening message—what comes next for Labrinth and for the music that helped define the series remains uncertain, and the conversation around euphoria’s soundtrack continues to unfold.
