The news of David Lynch‘s death on January 16, 2025, contributed to an undeniable nostalgia on the eve of the holiday in Rio de Janeiro. Lynch, who would have turned 79 on the 20th, apparently died as a result of emphysema after decades as a heavy smoker. Coincidentally, two days ago I was reorganizing my soundtrack collection, which I didn’t even remember being so complete after years of not even getting close to my CDs. Among them, obviously, there is Blue Velvet, Wild At Heart, and one of my most beloved: Twin Peaks.

For those who lived through the 1980s and 1990s like me, and who still form the cultural foundation, the David Lynch – Angelo Badalamenti duo is synonymous with a universe of mystery, supernatural, fear, and surprises. They won a Grammy for Falling, the title song of the series that was completely different from anything on TV at the time. Who killed Laura Palmer? And that song? Nights of many nightmares!

And all these feelings have returned today, three years after Badalamenti’s death, because it is the end of an era of creativity in the purest sense of the word. Something that has always been rare, but is even more so today. And I think of this partnership that recalls other iconic ones such as Steven Spielberg and John Williams, Tim Burton and Danny Elfman, Christopher Nolan, and Hans Zimmer, Darren Aronofsky and Clint Mansell, as well as Alfred Hitchcock and Bernard Herrmann, and how everything, like all legends, is born by “chance”.

Lynch and Badalamenti’s collaboration began with the 1986 film Blue Velvet. Initially, Angelo Badalamenti was hired to act as a vocal coach for Isabella Rossellini, helping her perform the song Blue Velvet, but the director was so impressed by his musical sensibilities that he invited him to compose the rest of the film’s score. Badalamenti, who grew up listening to his Sicilian father’s opera records and his brother’s jazz records, had never worked on a film like Lynch’s. Excited, the director asked him to write something original that represented “the mysteries of love” and that “it should be a song that floats on the sea of ​​time.” Did you get what he meant? It doesn’t matter, Badalamenti did.

This artistic match was made in heaven: the two were excellent at improvisation, where Lynch described the emotions and atmospheres he wanted to evoke and Badalamenti captured them perfectly. It was during this process that they developed what many called “an almost telepathic communication,” with Badalamenti translating Lynch’s surreal visions into music. Thus, Badalamenti’s music became a trademark of the Lynchian universe. His style mixed nostalgic and romantic melodies with dark and disturbing tones, creating a contrast that amplified the surrealism of Lynch’s works.

But it was the beautiful and terrifying main theme of Twin Peaks, Laura Palmer’s Theme, that defined the series and became a cultural phenomenon, immortalizing the soundtrack as one of the pillars of the show. The voice of singer Julee Cruise completed the trio, in a constant collaboration until the end of the two artists’ lives.

The creative process between Lynch and Badalamenti was organic and collaborative. Lynch often used visual metaphors to describe what he wanted, and Badalamenti responded with improvisations on the piano. A famous example is the creation of Laura Palmer’s Theme, which the musician composed live while Lynch narrated the emotion that the scene was supposed to evoke. I wish I were a fly to have witnessed that moment!

Lynch called his partner a “musical genius” and we know he wasn’t exaggerating. Badalamenti’s music was part of his narrative, not just a complement, but a central element in creating his unique atmosphere. The songs were introspective, often contrasting with the action or dialogue, reinforcing surrealism and duality (for example, beauty versus darkness).

Among all the collaborations, the Twin Peaks soundtrack influenced artists such as Moby and Radiohead and inspired series such as The X-Files, Stranger Things, and True Detective, among others. This is because it changed the public’s perception of the role of music in audiovisual narrative. And it turned the partnership between Lynch and Badalamenti into a legend.

This complicity between directors and composers is not just a technical collaboration, it builds the soul of the films and silence will never be as powerful as a well-placed melody. Especially when we talk about David Lynch and Angelo Badalamenti.

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