From Gilmore Girls‘ “Where You Lead I Will Follow” to The Sopranos‘ “Woke Up This Morning,” Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino know an un-skippable TV theme song when they hear one. So when the time came to choose the music that would set the mood for their new series, Étoile, the creators knew they needed the perfect earworm to kick off each episode. And their search was a soaring success.
Étoile‘s opening credits strategically spotlight names of core cast members like Luke Kirby, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Lou de Laâge, and Gideon Glick atop colorful shots of stage lights; wardrobe racks; theater cleaning; and dancers lacing up pointe shoes, doing barre work, and showing off skills. What accompanies the vibrant visuals is a song so unique, catchy, and invigorating you’ll find yourself fighting the urge to dance in front of your TV and singing it on a loop long after an episode ends.
“You and me both! It’s so good, I know,” Sherman-Palladino told Decider over Zoom after learning that the main title theme dances through my mind on a loop.
The track, titled “Nights Are For Love,” is by Sons of Raphael. The musical group, comprised of brothers Loral and Ronnel Raphael, released their debut record in 2021 and is known for songs like “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah” and the original composition “My Elixir,” featured in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla.
While the Palladinos were initially pursuing someone else for the main title track, the artist was unavailable and suggested Sons of Raphael, who had toured with Étoile‘s own Gainsbourg. After hearing the song, both creators were hooked. “We met with them and they had already written a version of the song. They had a demo, and we heard it and it just got stuck in our brains immediately,” Palladino said, highlighting the fact that the lyrics deal with stars and dancing.
From the start, Sherman-Palladino knew Étoile‘s main titles needed to shine, and after hearing “Nights Are For Love,” she knew they found the special sound they were searching for.
“We really wanted a theme song this time, because we wanted to do a title sequence so we could get the actor’s titles out of the end of the show and get them in the beginning, so people had to look at them,” Palladino told Decider, explaining why she sought a song that would engage and excite viewers. “When I would watch The Sopranos and that theme song came on, we never fast-forwarded through that theme song. We listen to it every single time, because it was just great, and catchy, and set the mood for the whole thing. This song felt the same to us. It was so catchy. It really set the mood for the fun and the rhythm. It was everything. It was perfect.”
Étoile is a love letter to the arts, so naturally the opening title sequence is far isn’t the part of the series that shines. In true Palladino-verse fashion, the show is sprinkled with other perfectly placed needle drops. Several musicians — including the great David Byrne — make appearances. And each episode winds down with mood music as credits rolls, with names superimposed on captivating footage of dancers in their element. From mundane moments in rehearsal to show-stopping performances, Étoile makes every element feel moving and magical.
“When I would watch The Sopranos and that theme song came on, we never fast-forwarded through that… It was just great, and catchy, and set the mood for the whole thing. This song felt the same to us.”
Amy Sherman-Palladino on Étoile‘s main title track
Sons Of Raphael also bookends Étoile‘s pilot (and Episode 4 and 6) with another end credits song created for the series: “At Dawn I Look For You.” As the season progresses, however, it switches up the sound and the tracks listed below help close subsequent episodes. Another popular Sons of Raphael song from 2018 even helps close out Étoile‘s Season 1 finale.
- Episode 2: “By This River” by Brian Eno
- Episode 3: “Cosmic Dancer” by T. Rex
- Episode 5: “Once In a Lifetime” by Talking Heads
- Episode 7: “Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy” by Chloe Flower
- Episode 8: “A Nation of Bloodsuckers” by Sons of Raphael
Want to learn more about Étoile‘s musical moments? Read Decider’s interview with cast and creators on David Byrne’s iconic cameo and be sure to check out the rest of the series.
Étoile Season 1 is now streaming on Prime Video.
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