Despite fallout with creator Mike White, The White Lotus composer wins an Emmy

The White Lotus is back in the spotlight during awards season. The HBO show, first released in 2021, made a name with sharp writing and striking performances. Still, what always lingered was not just the dialogue or the acting. It was the sound. That odd rhythm underneath each episode, never fully calm. At the 2025 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, this detail stood out again. Cristóbal Tapia de Veer, the one shaping the main title theme, walked away with another Emmy.

It was not just another prize on a shelf. The recognition reminded audiences that music has been part of the series’ DNA from the start. The eerie chants, the electronic beats, and the layering that felt both playful and menacing. It shaped how viewers entered the story every week. The award made clear that the sound was not secondary but central.

The recognition of Cristóbal Tapia de Veer

During the ceremony in Los Angeles, Tapia de Veer was called for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music. According to The Hollywood Reporter, this was his third Emmy linked to the series. The composer had already been noticed in previous years, and this latest victory confirmed that his work was never just background atmosphere. It stood as one of the main identifiers of The White Lotus.

The path toward departure

Months before the award, another story was already taking shape. In April, Tapia de Veer said in an interview reported by The New York Times that he would not come back for season four of The White Lotus. He mentioned that the editorial team knew about his choice before Mike White did. That detail showed his exit was not sudden. It had been moving quietly in the background, only reaching the public later. The timing made it stand out more, especially because it happened right as season three was closing.

The dispute around the opening theme

The disagreement was not about the entire score but about a specific sound. The opening theme had included vocal notes, the ooh-loo-loo-loos, since season one. By season three, these sounds were removed from the version played in the credits. Tapia de Veer kept them in the full track. That creative resistance created tension. A detail for some, but for the composer, it was a defining feature of the theme. The clash over a few seconds of music ended up revealing how fragile the collaboration had become.

Mike White’s reaction

After the interview was published, Mike White addressed the matter in a conversation with Howard Stern. He said the situation around The White Lotus had been exaggerated and that the work process naturally involved notes and revisions. He added that he did not see the need for the subject to reach the press, especially so close to the finale of the third season. The comments gave a glimpse of the gap between how the two perceived their collaboration.

The composer’s side

Tapia de Veer later reflected that he might have been seen as difficult for not following all the notes he received. At the same time, he defended the results. The music had already won Emmys, and it had resonated strongly with audiences. For him, the effort to keep his vision intact was worth the strain. What he described was not just resistance but a form of conviction that the show needed the sound he had created.

Awards history and the current season

The White Lotus kept turning up in award talks. In 2025, it pulled in 23 nominations, a number that showed just how far the show had gone. The Creative Arts Emmy Awards landed on September 6 and 7, held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The room was full of strong contenders. Severance came out ahead in the music composition category, proving the field was tough. Still, the win for Cristóbal Tapia de Veer for the main title theme kept The White Lotus right in the spotlight, impossible to ignore.

Trending

A turning point in The White Lotus partnership

This Emmy is tied to a chapter that is now closed. Tapia de Veer has left the production, and his differences with Mike White are on record. Even so, his music remains attached to The White Lotus. The theme continues to carry the same sense of tension and mystery that defined the show’s image from the beginning. His name may no longer appear in the credits of future seasons, but the sound he created is still there, echoing in the memory of the audience.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback