As HBO’s Game of Thrones final season drew to a close, the show’s hit composer Ramin Djawadi had trouble letting go.
“I think maybe that’s why I keep tinkering,” he laughs. “Because I think I can’t let go. I know once I do let go, then that’s it for me, and I just love the show so much.”
Luckily for Djawadi and his legion of fans, there are still opportunities to enjoy Game of Thrones compositions. While the show itself has ended, Djawadi has embarked on a yearlong global tour, playing his famous orchestral pieces for crowds in 18 different countries.
Despite Massive Success, Ramin Djawadi Remains Humble
Over eight seasons, Djawadi has carefully developed musical themes for each character, nurturing the motifs over the course of years. The subtle art of weaving individual themes throughout years of character evolution within a complex plot reflects Djawadi’s remarkable musical ability.
But as for the man himself, Djawadi remains humble. “I’m just trying to create something magical,” he says.
“It’s something I love about movie scores,” he adds. “When you leave the theatre you can still hum the themes and relive the movie without even watching it. It’s just the music that lives on its own.”
Layers of Musical Influence in Ramin Djawadi’s Work
Ever since he was a young boy growing up in Germany, Djawadi dreamt of becoming a film composer. The son of an Iranian father and German mother, he loved watching old American western movies like The Magnificent Seven on his broken VCR.
He grew up idolizing the titans of classical music like Brahms and Mozart, but later came to love rock guitar music in his teens. While attending Boston’s Berklee College of Music, Djawadi became obsessed with jazz, adding yet another layer to his musical palate.
That range of styles would come in handy as he rose to prominence as a composer for hit films.
“It’s nice to go through these evolutions because film composers get asked to do so many styles,” Djawadi says while reflecting on his many scores. “Mr. Brooks is very electronic, Iron Man is guitar-heavy, Game of Thrones is very orchestral.”
Ramin Djawadi Hesitated Before Taking on “Game of Thrones”
It was that versatility that drew Game of Thrones producers David Benioff and Dan Weiss to Djawadi’s music. Nearly a decade ago, they approached Djawadi about providing the score to a new television project they were working on. When Djawadi got the chance to see an early version of the first season of Game of Thrones, he couldn’t believe his eyes.
“I was blown away by it,” Djawadi recalls. But he still wasn’t sure if the project was for him. “I was really busy at the time already,” he adds. “I realized that the scope of the show was so big and I didn’t know if I had enough time to make it happen.”
But the Game of Thrones producers were persistent.
“I’m so happy I trusted my gut,” he beams. “I told myself I had to make it work and figure it out. And I did. The sleep had to give in, but looking back, it was the best experience I’ve ever had. It’s so special. I think you can hear that in the music. I’m very happy to be a part of it.”
As for the secret behind his creative process, Djawaid says he just waits for the magic to happen.
“Sometimes I just whistle,” he laughs. “The main title theme for Game of Thrones, for example, I was humming in my car after I saw the visuals. That little melody can just come at any time.”
