
Plenty of TV sitcom theme songs stand the test of time. The singability of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, clap-infused pop of I'll Be There For You from Friends, and nostalgic harmonies of Where Everybody Knows Your Name from Cheers each holds a notable slot in the cultural zeitgeist. It's less common for a drama's theme song to meet the same reception. And that picture is even more complicated when the theme is a wordless instrumental used-in the first moments of the show-to set the scene for dead bodies washing ashore.
Yet composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer's Aloha! and Renaissance, which serve as the theme songs for first and second seasons of The White Lotus, respectively, have reached such success. Each track features a consistent melody with high-pitched instrumentation, a danceable beat, and breathless vocals. Each is also tailored to reflect its season's location-Hawaii in the first and Sicily in the second.
Each season, The White Lotus offers colorful, suspenseful commentary on exploitation, wealth, class, and race with a backdrop of murder and dysfunction set in a fictional luxury resort. The combination of Cristobal's masterful composition, the show's alluring storytelling, and a rabid global fan base has propelled both themes to viral fame and millions of Spotify streams, and raised the profile of their composer.
Fans on the prowl Since its July 2021 release, Aloha! has been streamed most by fans in Warsaw, Berlin, and Paris. The song's popularity only grew in the lead-up to the October 2022 premier of the second season, with fans taking to the internet to share commentary on the song.
One popular fan theory was that its repeated notes created a musical allusion to the Gregorian chant Dies Irae, or The Day of Wrath. In a rare interview with For the Record, Cristobal explained that this is but a coincidence. Those melodies are the result of chanting with voices and finding a melody that works with the sound. For lots of reasons, I ended up with those types of harmonies, but I wasn't specifically inspired by that music or trying to use it intentionally.
Following the debut episode of the second season on October 30, 2022, searches for White Lotus on Spotify increased more than 500%. But to the chagrin of fans, Renaissance wasn't released on Spotify until December 11, the end of the season.
Even so, dedicated fans steadily played Aloha! on Spotify while they waited, and on December 12, streams of Aloha! jumped 200% compared to the month prior. Searches for White Lotus soared to 4,800% compared to two months prior.
Once released, daily streams of Renaissance hit an all-time high on December 13, 2022, with fans in Paris, Oslo, and Berlin leading the charge. And as for Cristobal? The composer saw a 162% lift in his own catalog's daily streams following season two.
Even after the season came to an end, fans continued to circulate the song, using it as the musical background to their viral videos. On February 17, 2023, Dutch DJ Ti sto put out his own remix of Renaissance, which became a favorite among fans in Sydney, New York, and Oslo in particular.
Soundtracking suspense So what went into creating the right soundtrack? Cristobal employed wind instruments to create the whirling bird sounds on Aloha! For the first season, I wasn't trying to make Hawaiian music. It was more about making something about nature kicking the characters in the ass, and the wild stuff coming for the characters, Cristobal explained. To hit his mark, he combined bird calls with tribal chants for an island feel with a spooky tropical depth.
Composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer
The temp score was this loungy, rather soft thing-something that would be playing in a nice luxury cafe when you're on vacation somewhere, he recalled. It was very different from what I came up with. I went with a tribal, rather aggressive screaming, and drums and flutes.
That screaming, which seems to be the best way to describe the vocal sounds, became a driving force behind the song's virality when it came time to adapt it for the second season. Cristobal knew he wanted to match the vibe of the location and utilize disconcerting vocal tones.
The oululus' are the most important thing, said Cristobal, using his tongue heavily to propel the sound from his own mouth. For the second season, I was trying to fit into the Italian and the Sicilian vibe. We spoke about having some renaissance sounds, some harps, mandolin, violin, things that we'd connect with Italian music and opera. I did a demo of some classical Italian music, something operatic, and that's the beginning of the track. From there, I wanted to somehow bring back the sound of the first season, which is these screaming voices that are so recognizable.
He also wanted to evoke a different journey for a new cast of characters.
In the first season, there's a lot of conflict in the music, he said. It feels very stressful and more tense than how it should; it has more dissonance. But this was something calculated. And I think the second season is funnier because things become dark later, towards the end of the show. So the song keeps it more playful, more light and harmonious.
A trip to Thailand Cristobal finds the composing process as tumultuous as life is for the White Lotus patrons at times. I don't do anything particular to get into the zone, he notes. Sometimes people try to have the best conditions-relaxed and with a view-but surprisingly, for me, I like to see the stuff that results from being in a bad situation, a stressful situation, not having the right equipment, or not being in the right place.
For Cristobal, discomfort is more impactful, motivating, and conducive to creativity than pleasure or perfection. When I feel tha
More from Spotify
30/06/2025
There's nothing quite like the magic of finding music that feels made just f...
30/06/2025
When it comes to new music, Spotify's team of editors across North America is always on the hunt for songs that make them feel, think, and move. They're...
27/06/2025
K-Pop remains one of the biggest genres globally, and many fans just can't get enough of it. That's why Spotify has launched a new series of K-Pop perf...
25/06/2025
Last week, content creators from all over the world flocked to Anaheim for VidCon 2025, one of the largest creator conferences in the U.S. As an official sponso...
24/06/2025
Last week, Spotify returned to the Croisette for our 11th year at the Cannes Lio...
20/06/2025
In just a few days, the pilgrimage to Worthy Farm begins. Glastonbury, the legen...
19/06/2025
On Wednesday, Spotify and Miley Cyrus tangoed in Paris during an unforgettable e...
18/06/2025
Since popping up in 2020, RADAR Italia has not only supported emerging artists but also reflected the cultural and musical richness of Italy. Over the past five...
17/06/2025
In South Africa, the rebirth and resurgence of the vibrant folk genre Maskandi has captured the attention of music fans, becoming the country's fastest-grow...
16/06/2025
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity is officially underway for...
16/06/2025
On Spotify, francophone content continues to cross borders at an unprecedented rate. In 2024 alone, more than 123 million listeners worldwide streamed audio con...
13/06/2025
Photo credit: Atsushi Nishijima
If you're a true lover of rom-coms, chances...
12/06/2025
In 2018, Spotify launched Heart & Soul, a mental health initiative developed to ...
11/06/2025
When a music fan creates a playlist on Spotify, it's not just for listening-...
11/06/2025
Hur s krar vi Europas konkurrenskraft i en tid av snabb teknikutveckling? Och hur rustar vi samh llet f r framtidens kompetensbehov inom AI, tech och kultur? Un...
11/06/2025
Spotify and ENHYPEN are inviting fans to step inside the world of DESIRE : UNLEA...
10/06/2025
A new generation of artists is redefining Morocco's pop music scene, blending their deep-rooted heritage with contemporary influences to create sounds that ...
10/06/2025
Since Audiobooks in Premium launched on Spotify in 2023, we've seen strong g...
09/06/2025
It was Thursday night in New York City and The Box was buzzing with excitement. The edgy nightclub, known for its lavish theatrics, provided the perfect backdro...
06/06/2025
Spotify is dedicated to lifting up the voices and contributions of all artists, creators, and authors. This Pride Month and beyond, we're also taking a mome...
06/06/2025
Spotify is heading back to France for the annual Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, and this year we'll showcase how Spotify is more alive t...
05/06/2025
Whether she's in the studio, on a tour bus, or traveling the world, there...
05/06/2025
Spotify and United are teaming up to deliver an even more entertaining in-flight...
05/06/2025
On Wednesday, Spotify brought together Mexico's vibrant podcast community fo...
05/06/2025
Last month, Spotify brought Travis Scott to Barcelona to play his first-ever show in the city and celebrate the release of his Spotify x Cactus Jack x Bar a jer...
04/06/2025
Today, Spotify launches its Loud & Clear report-our annual deep dive into the economics of music streaming-in Canada, and with it, a powerful story of how Canad...
29/05/2025
Japan's music scene is entering an exciting new chapter. Long known for its ...
28/05/2025
Spotify is all about bringing you closer to the voices and stories you love. Tha...
28/05/2025
A ind stria musical do Brasil est passando por uma transforma o hist rica - e o Spotify segue iluminando esse caminho. A vers o mais recente do relat rio Loud...
28/05/2025
Brazil's music industry is in the midst of a historic transformation-and Spotify continues to help illuminate the path. Our most recent Loud & Clear report,...
28/05/2025
Spotify's commitment to transparency and artist empowerment continues to res...
21/05/2025
When CMA Fest springs to life in Nashville each year, Spotify House is always one of the top destinations-and 2025 was no different. For the sixth year, Spotify...
21/05/2025
Marking a first, Spotify has launched the Upcoming Releases hub-a destination so...
20/05/2025
Throughout the month of May, Spotify is celebrating Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month by amplifying the many artists, creators, and authors who share th...
20/05/2025
It's officially summer on Spotify and, once again, our team of best-in-class...
19/05/2025
For the past decade, Spotify's Fresh Finds playlists have served as a launchpad for emerging independent artists, helping them break through and connect wit...
17/05/2025
Globally, Asian and Pacific Islander (API) artists, creators, and authors contin...
16/05/2025
As Beyonc s COWBOY CARTER Tour sparks excitement around the world, Spotify is helping the BeyHive get concert-ready with a limited-edition collection of playli...
14/05/2025
Spotify and FC Barcelona's partnership saw its sixth jersey takeover this we...
14/05/2025
At Spotify, we believe that our incredible bandmates (that's what we call our team) are the driving force behind our success. Longtime Spotifier Anna Lundst...
13/05/2025
Spotify aims to bring compelling audiobooks to as many consumers as possible, and we're eager to give fans even more options as they discover their next gre...
13/05/2025
People all over the world love DJ. At the gym, at home, whenever and wherever you want a deeper experience with great music, DJ is the answer. In fact, DJ liste...
09/05/2025
As excitement builds for the annual Eurovision Song Contest, Spotify data offers...
07/05/2025
Discovering music should feel effortless and fun. That's why Spotify continu...
06/05/2025
In Colombia, music isn't just background noise-it's center stage. It'...
06/05/2025
En Colombia, la m sica no suena de fondo: es el centro del escenario. Es el cora...
06/05/2025
Updated May 16, 2025: We always aim to provide the best Spotify experience, and ...
06/05/2025
Since Spotify's 2019 launch in India, the growth of the country's local ...
05/05/2025
As Europe gears up for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, Spotify is celebrating the spirit of unity and musical legacy with a new series of Spotify Singles. Fiv...
02/05/2025
Updated May 19, 2025: Spotify submitted a new app update that Apple has approved...