Before you know something is wrong with Nikki in “Obsession,” you feel it in the music.
Just moments after Bear uses a magical willow branch to make her fall in love with him, she comes back outside, looking a bit embarrassed and clearly smitten. However, the strange, wavering sound beneath her shy smile hints that something isn’t right – a once-clear tone is now stretched and unsettling.
Thinking back on ‘Obsession,’ there’s a real shift in tone at one particular moment. As the composer, Rock Burwell, explained it to me, it was a tricky scene to score. It’s incredibly personal, but needed to feel unsettling – a little playful, but also deeply twisted and worrying. It’s like seeing a wish come true in a way that’s…wrong, and the audience realizing something isn’t right with what’s happening.
The song “R U OK” is a highlight of the music in “Obsession,” the summer’s biggest horror success. The film launched Curry Barker as a promising new director and established Inde Navarrette as a star, thanks to her brilliantly chaotic performance as Nikki.
Be careful what you wish for in ‘Obsession,’ an old but effective nightmare retooled for Gen Z
Curry Barker, known for his work on YouTube, directs this film. While the story is straightforward, it’s elevated by a fantastic performance from Inde Navarrette, who plays a woman affected by a mysterious and ominous curse.
Now that “Obsession” is available on streaming services after a successful run in theaters, it’s already being discussed as a potential Oscar contender. A lot of the praise is focused on the film’s score, created by Burwell. It’s a brilliant example of minimalist electronic music, using unsettling sounds and jarring combinations to build the film’s intense and suspenseful atmosphere.
With artificial intelligence and big companies impacting funding and chances for new artists in film and television, director Burwell’s film, “Obsession,” powerfully demonstrates why it’s important to support up-and-coming, innovative creators.
Burwell admitted to feeling like a fraud after their first successful project. However, they expressed a strong desire for the industry to continue welcoming newcomers with fresh, passionate ideas, and hope that kind of enthusiasm never fades.
Burwell, now 31, is a striking figure – tall and composed, with prominent cheekbones and softly curled hair that could have suited him for acting. He began his career as a composer working with a musicians’ group in New Hampshire. Sitting outside Lawless Brewing near his home in the San Fernando Valley, he remembered moving to Los Angeles in 2019 with a friend who was a rapper. They both worked hard to connect with people and gain experience on low-budget indie music projects.
He started working with Barker in 2024 after the director’s comedy group, That’s a Bad Idea, needed new music. A shared acquaintance connected them through a producer Burwell had previously worked with.
I met with them at my studio, and we created a funny song – something in the style of The Lonely Island. They also filmed a music video for it. Around that time, Curry started developing ‘Obsession,’ and he approved the project. We enjoyed collaborating, and he realized we worked well together, so he asked if I’d be interested in composing the music for a full-length film.
The movie was a massive financial success, earning over $400 million despite costing less than $1 million to make. Similar to filmmakers like Zach Cregger (“Weapons”) and Kane Parsons (“Backrooms”), the director utilized the quick, creative style common in online sketch comedy to create a hugely popular horror film with very limited funds. Now, the composer has become an essential part of this filmmaker’s signature sound – much like Angelo Badalamenti was for David Lynch, or Bernard Herrmann for Alfred Hitchcock.
“Obsession” brilliantly blends deterioration and renewal, transforming soothing keyboard sounds into something completely unrecognizable. “You Wished for This” shifts dramatically from calm, atmospheric tones to harsh, fragmented digital noise. And the two sections of “Love is in the Air” take a familiar, hopeful Hollywood love song and twist it into something unsettling and sinister.
Burwell described being deeply affected by their first experience watching ‘Twin Peaks.’ They explained it had a strange beauty – both captivating and unsettlingly dark. Burwell believes this combination is particularly appealing to them. Curry viewed the film as a love story hidden within a horror framework, aiming to delve into complicated feelings instead of simply focusing on scares. Allowing those emotions to grow and then subvert expectations, exploring the darker side of things, was key to the film’s success.
The song “Obsession” has been so popular it’s already been pressed on vinyl multiple times, showing that a new generation of fans are eager to experience the music independently. “I was really surprised by that,” said Burwell. “While making the film, I only focused on how the music fit with each scene. But I’ve had people reach out saying they’re listening to the soundtrack constantly, even before seeing the movie, which is amazing.”
Music
Wes Anderson meticulously plans the music for his films. However, these three concerts featuring Bill Murray, Beck, Jackson Browne, and others were designed to feel like a special experience for fans, similar to rewatching his movies.
If the film continues to generate Oscar excitement, director Burwell’s career could be significantly impacted. The success of “Sinners” and “Weapons” demonstrated that the Academy can be receptive to well-made horror films. The story of a low-budget director achieving summer box office success with a smart, intense movie tackling themes of innocence, sexism, and accountability is a compelling narrative for the Oscars. While Burwell’s music isn’t a typical frontrunner for the best score award, it has the potential to win, much like the work of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
Honestly, it’s still wild to think any part of the film might get Oscar attention. When I first heard that possibility, I seriously questioned if I was the right person for the job! But thankfully, Curry had faith in me, and eventually, I started to believe in myself too. It’s been a real rollercoaster – feeling incredibly proud of what we accomplished on such a huge scale, then immediately battling those self-doubts that just come with being a creative person. It’s been a push and pull, trying to fully own the experience and be proud of it.
Burwell is set to create the music for Barker’s next film, “Anything but Ghosts,” which follows two skeptical ghost hunters who unexpectedly find genuine paranormal activity. While it’s still uncertain if he’ll be involved in Barker’s remake of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” for A24, he’s hoping to be. He dreams of one day composing with a full orchestra, saying he doesn’t want to simply imitate classical composers, but wants to create music that holds its own within that genre.
He’s also been releasing songs under the name Museum Complex, a solo project with a dreamy, distorted sound, which gives a taste of how his film scores could sound in a full band setting. He also has potential opportunities in pop music. Burwell was thrilled to receive positive feedback on his score from artists he admires, including Ethel Cain, Flying Lotus, and Kid Cudi. He shared, “I’ve been a fan of Kid Cudi for years, so seeing the cast of ‘Obsession’ perform with him and hearing his kind words about the film and my music was incredible.”
Hollywood Inc.
‘Obsession’ and ‘Backrooms’ were huge hits in theaters, and now movie studios are looking online for the next big thing – fresh creators and popular videos with potential to become successful films.
Now that “Obsession” has become a surprise success, many filmmakers and musicians are trying to figure out how to achieve the same kind of luck. According to composer Burwell, there’s no guaranteed formula—it takes hard work and building connections with talented people. While online culture is influential, simply being present in creative communities still matters.
I’m often asked for advice for up-and-coming composers and musicians. The most important thing, I’ve found, is being around other people who are actively creating. Even though technology allows us to collaborate from anywhere, the fact that I was able to meet with my colleague Curry in person – we lived just five minutes apart – and really connect with him made a huge difference. That personal connection was more valuable than anything else.”
The unsettling and beautifully crafted music in “Obsession,” expertly shaped by Burwell, came from a unique creative spark that artificial intelligence couldn’t replicate. The main takeaway from this film for Hollywood is simple: don’t cut corners when pursuing your goals.
Burwell believes that even after a major disaster, art will continue to bring people together. She emphasizes the importance of being open to unexpected opportunities and having passion for what you do, because you can’t predict where life might lead or who you might meet along the way. It’s vital not to limit yourself by failing to consider alternative paths.
2026-07-21 20:02