Mike White, the creative mastermind behind The White Lotus, is a force to be reckoned with.
Yet some fans argue the controversial HBO series wouldn’t be the same without the outré score which has been coloring up the show since season 1. Thanks to Cristobal Tapia De Veer, the award-winning HBO drama features everything from “spooky tropical” music to the “philosophical” beats of Thailand.
It’s rare when a musical composer becomes as central to a series as the stars themselves. Yet Tapia De Veer’s score is so whimsically distinct and globally admired that it’s hard not to be affected by his music, which injects a genuine dose of exotic depth into The White Lotus. Tapia De Veer’s musical triumphs pose as such a staple throughout the series, that it made fans all the more disappointed when he announced he’d be quitting the series once and for all. His dramatic departure has ruffled up some feathers behind the scenes, particularly with creator Mike White.
This behind the scenes tension between White and Tapia De Veer has gone so off the rails, that the series creator has surmised his former composer “doesn’t respect” him.
Meanwhile, Tapia De Veer has made some dramatic claims, calling the beef between them “a very dark thing.”
White Lotus Music Producer Cristobal Tapia De Veer Prefers Rule-Breaking Music
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In an interview with Spotify, Tapia De Veer opened up about his creative process. According to the award winning composer, it’s important for him to put out innovative artwork, as opposed to playing it safe. “When I feel that I’m in danger, it feels like I’m gonna probably come up with something better, a more original idea than if I’m too comfortable,” he confessed of his musical process.
Fortunately, his risk-taking has majorly paid off, because White Lotus fans go nuts over the score. In fact, the season 2 theme song, “Renaissance,” saw a record-breaking 27 million plays on Spotify. But despite fans obsessing over the exotica White Lotus soundtrack, not everyone shares their enthusiasm. According to the series’ composer, he and Mike White had some major creative differences, leading to the butting of heads behind the scenes.
The White Lotus Composer Dishes on ‘Fights’ with Mike White
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Mike White and Cristobal Tapia De Veer are both creative geniuses in their own right. Each rely on controversial artistic choices as well as dramatic twists and turns in order to spice up the hotel halls of The White Lotus. Together, their innovative artwork has resulted in a collaborative triumph that’s granted them multiple Emmys as well as public acclaim. But regardless of their collaborative success, White and Tapia De Veer’s creative differences ultimately came to be too much for them to continue any future partnerships with one another.
“We already had our last fight forever,” Tapia De Veer claimed of his feud with Mike White, when speaking to The New York Times. He compared their bumpy collaboration to a previous experience, where he and his bandmate didn’t share the same creative vision.
“This is like a rock band I’ve been in before where the guitar player doesn’t understand the singer at all.” As a result of these alleged “fights,” Tapia De Veer abruptly quit the series, and won’t be returning for season 4.
Mike White Calls Cristobal Tapia De Veer’s Unexpected Resigning a ‘B*tch Move’
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Now, The White Lotus creator is responding to the behind the scenes drama, claiming their beef boils down to a lack of respect. “I don’t think he respected me,” he said when sitting down with Howard Stern. He wants people to know that he’s edgy and dark and I’m…I don’t know, like, I watch reality TV.” White continued, adding, “I was thrown that he would go to The New York Times to shit on me and the show three days before the finale. It was kind of a bitch move.”
White Lotus Composer Has No Regrets Over Breaking Mike White’s Rules
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Most people would argue that working as a consistent composer on one of the biggest HBO shows of all time is a pretty sweet gig. But according to Cristobal Tapia De Veer, he’s not losing sleep over his decision to sever ties with Mike White. Nor is he regretting his choice to pursue his own creative path, as opposed to listening to his boss.
“It was worth all the tension and almost forcing the music into the show, in a way, because I didn’t have that many allies in there,” the composer confessed to The New York Times . “Maybe I was being unprofessional, and for sure Mike feels that I was always unprofessional to him because I didn’t give him what he wanted. But what I gave him did this, you know — did those Emmys, people going crazy.”
Who do you think will be the next perfect fit to compose for “The White Lotus”?
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