Composer Daniel Hart says the shift from AMC’s Interview with the Vampire to The Vampire Lestat greatly expanded his role, requiring him to write a far larger volume of original music and lyrical songs for Lestat’s rock-star storyline. The change matters because the music is intended to express the character’s fractured inner life, important relationships and public persona, while supporting the programme’s new perspective and tone.

Hart, who scored the previous two seasons, said the third season involved two or three times as much music as Season 2, already the most he had written for any project. He worked more closely with actor Sam Reid and creator Rolin Jones, gained a greater presence in the writers’ room, and drew on his background in playwriting; Hart said he generally begins songs with music, although he has become more confident writing lyrics over the past decade.