Labrinth Explains Departure From Euphoria Season 3 and Slams Music Industry

Labrinth has officially exited Euphoria Season 3, removing his music from the upcoming premiere on April 12, 2026. The Emmy-winning composer cited systemic workplace mistreatment and industry dishonesty, stating he refuses to “let people treat me like shit” despite his foundational role in shaping the show’s sonic identity.

This is more than a creative difference; it is a public fracture. When an artist as integral as Labrinth—the man who practically breathed life into the atmosphere of the first two seasons—decides to scrub his contributions from a project, it exposes a volatile tension between creative vision and corporate management. For the fans waiting for Sunday’s premiere, the absence of Labrinth’s signature sound is a jarring omen of the internal chaos that preceded the season’s launch.

The “Industry Lie” and the Instagram Fallout

The tension reached a breaking point on Saturday, April 11, when Labrinth took to Instagram to set the record straight. His words were not the carefully manicured statements typically issued by publicists. They were raw, targeted, and definitive. He accused the industry of a culture of dishonesty, claiming that people “comfortably lie” while maintaining a facade of honesty.

“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,” Labrinth wrote.

This isn’t the first time the musician, born Timothy Lee McKenzie, has signaled his frustration. In March, he posted a since-deleted message that was far more aggressive, stating he was “done with this industry” and specifically targeting both his record label, Columbia, and the production of Euphoria. The volatility of these exits suggests a breakdown in communication that no amount of retrospective praise can fix.

Navigating these types of high-stakes contract disputes and hostile work environments often requires more than just a public statement. Artists facing similar breaches of trust frequently rely on specialized employment attorneys to negotiate exits that protect their intellectual property and mental well-being.

A Shift in Sonic Architecture: From Pop Roots to Hans Zimmer

The departure of Labrinth creates a massive void in the show’s identity. For years, his work—including the Emmy-winning “All For Us” and the haunting collaboration with Billie Eilish, “Never Felt So Alone”—defined the visceral, neon-soaked anxiety of adolescence. However, showrunner Sam Levinson has framed this transition as a narrative necessity.

Levinson told Variety that because the story has jumped forward five years, the characters have aged out of high school. In his view, the “pop roots” of the original sound have naturally faded. Levinson expressed a desire for a score that “guided us through this world” rather than relying on traditional needle drops.

Entering this space is legendary composer Hans Zimmer. Zimmer, who joined the team in July 2025, is now leading the score. While Zimmer praised Labrinth’s contribution to the show’s identity, the shift in leadership represents a fundamental change in how the story’s emotion is delivered to the audience. The transition from Labrinth’s experimental pop to Zimmer’s cinematic scale mirrors the characters’ own transition into the complexities of adulthood.

The Disconnect Between Creator and Collaborator

Perhaps the most striking element of this feud is the disparity in narratives. While Labrinth speaks of mistreatment and lies, Sam Levinson has played the role of the confused admirer. In interviews with Forbes and Rolling Stone, Levinson called Labrinth an “incredible collaborator” and claimed he simply did not know why the musician chose to leave.

This “I don’t know” stance stands in direct opposition to Labrinth’s insistence that his exit was a matter of self-respect. He clarified that while he respects a creator’s vision, that respect is not a license for abuse: “When I work for someone, their vision is paramount to me. But I don’t let people treat me like shit.”

This disconnect highlights a recurring problem in the entertainment industry: the gap between the public-facing “collaborative” image and the private reality of production. For many creatives, the only way to survive these environments is through the support of professional talent managers who can act as a buffer between the artist and the production’s power dynamics.

Season 3: Adult Consequences and Final Farewells

The drama behind the music serves as a backdrop to a season that promises to be the most mature yet. The characters are no longer navigating the hallways of a high school; they are traversing the harsher realities of adult life. This includes Rue, played by Zendaya, who is reportedly facing significant legal trouble.

Zendaya has hinted that this season may be the final chapter for the series. Her reflections on the show have been poignant, noting that Rue taught her about empathy and redemption. However, the shadow of the Labrinth exit looms over this potential finale. The loss of the show’s original sonic architect may leave the final season feeling like a different series entirely.

The emotional toll of such public and professional ruptures cannot be understated. The stress of “being done with the industry” often leads artists to seek out licensed therapists specializing in high-pressure creative careers to process the trauma of professional betrayal.

As Euphoria prepares for its Sunday premiere and its special screening at Coachella, the conversation has shifted from the plot of the show to the conduct of its creators. Labrinth’s refusal to be a silent partner in his own mistreatment is a loud signal to the industry. Whether the new score by Hans Zimmer can fill the emotional void left by Labrinth remains to be seen, but the lesson is clear: vision is never an excuse for toxicity.

For those navigating their own professional disputes or seeking verified experts to handle complex industry contracts, the World Today News Directory remains the primary resource for connecting with vetted professionals who prioritize transparency over the “comfortable lies” of the industry.