Euphoria season two came to a close Sunday (Feb. 27) with a finale supersaturated with violence and chaos, from Maddy beating up former best friend Cassie to the explosive police raid at Fezco’s house. But the show left just enough space for a moment of peace between Dominic Fike‘s Elliot and leading lady Zendaya‘s Rue. In a scene symbolic of the two characters’ diverging paths, Fike delivered an emotional performance of an original song written by Zendaya and the HBO hit series’ composer Labrinth.
The song, which isn’t yet released under any title, comes when newly sober Rue stops by Elliot’s house to forgive him for the way he exposed her severe drug addiction to her family. Elliot asks if he can play her something before she leaves, and sings a lyrical ballad backed by his own delicate guitar playing. “Think you may be my only friend,” Fike sings. “I gave it all to see you shine again/ I hope it was worth it in the end.”
Zendaya, Fike, Labrinth and director Sam Levinson spoke about the song in the finale’s Enter Euphoria, a miniseries that comes after each episode in which the cast and crew give insight into making the show. “The scene between Elliot and Rue is really heartbreaking because you also realize that these are two people who are going in very different directions in life,” Levinson said, referring to the way Fike’s character will likely continue using drugs as Zendaya’s Rue works to get clean.
This isn’t the first time Zendaya has worked on music for the show with Labrinth. The two collaborated on “I’m Tired” for this season, as well as “All for Us,” which was set to a full-scale dance number representing Rue’s relapse in the finale of season one.
“I’ll go over and I’ll shoot some stuff, and then when I have a break, I’ll go over and hang out with Lab because he has a studio now on the lot,” Zendaya said of working with the composer on the show’s soundtrack. “He’s finding new sounds to complement every emotion that we go through in the show.”
The “Mount Everest” singer has been behind the music of Euphoria since its beginnings, crafting an album of 26 original pieces for the first season’s score. In the latest Enter Euphoria, he said working with cast members Zendaya and “Babydoll” artist Fike makes the soundtrack more special.
“Me and Zendaya, we’re actually sitting in each other’s spiritual energy and space, and we’re getting to inspire each other to make something fresh,” he said. “The cast are not just acting now, they’re part of the music now. And I think that makes it even more special.”
Watch Zendaya, Dominic Fike and Labrinth talk about making their original song for Euphoria below: