Bridgerton composer Kris Bowers made sure Anthony Bridgerton and Edwina Sharma’s first dance had an “alluring, almost darkness to it,” through his score.

Most readers now know this is a doomed relationship, as Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and Edwina’s sister, Kate (Simone Ashley), fall in love. “The music has a darker element to it, and it is pretty far-stretched in terms of being a variation on Anthony and Kate’s theme,” the Oscar- and Emmy-nominated composer says of Anthony and Edwina’s first dance, in a new episode of The Hollywood Reporter‘s Behind the Screen. “This sets it up as if Edwina (Charithra Chandran) and Anthony are going to have then own theme, but as we learn later, their relationship is a bit more difficult in terms of Anthony’s connection with Kate. This sets up this possibly dangerous connection.”

For Anthony and Kate’s theme, Bowers put the ups and downs of their relationship into the music. For the cue when they finally kiss, he says the music was about “capturing the feeling of all that bottled-up energy and tension, and having it feel like it’s finally releasing. This is the first time we really hear their theme in a really romantic and robust and beautiful way.”

He also talks about writing a cue that’s “playful, and much more tongue in cheek,” to allow audiences to “laugh with Lady Whistedown” now that the identity of the anonymous society gossip writer has been revealed to viewers.

Music supervisor Justin Kamps describes the approach to using classical arrangements of modern songs, including Pink’s ‘What About Us” and Madonna’s “Material Girl,” which was arranged by Bowers (who also played the harpsichord part).

The full podcast episode is below.