Taylor Swift Fans Speculate New Song 'Patient Zero' Targets Joe Jonas
Swift's latest track, "Patient Zero," from "The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore," has sparked fan theories linking its lyrics to her past relationship with Joe Jonas and his ex-wife Sophie Turner.
Taylor Swift's new song, "Patient Zero," has ignited speculation among fans who believe the lyrics deliver a scathing critique of a toxic ex-partner, with many pointing to Joe Jonas.
The track, which is part of her recently released "The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore," features Swift singing about her connection with her ex's current girlfriend. Swift describes herself as "patient zero," implying she was the first to experience the emotional damage inflicted by the ex's manipulative behavior.
"If you wanna party with somebody who might know / About the devil on his shoulder under his halo / When the toxins take their hold, you’d rather die than let it go / But if you’re sick of him, I got you, I was patient zero," Swift sings in the song, which also mentions the new girlfriend confiding in her about their issues.
Swifties quickly took to social media to draw parallels between the song's narrative and Swift's past relationship with Joe Jonas and his subsequent divorce from Sophie Turner. Swift and Jonas dated for approximately three months in 2008 before their brief relationship ended, famously in a short phone call, according to reports.
Jonas began dating actress Sophie Turner in 2016. By 2019, Swift and Turner appeared to have developed a friendship, making several public appearances together. Their bond reportedly deepened following Turner's separation from Jonas in 2023.
Swift notably offered Turner her New York City apartment as a temporary residence for Turner and her two daughters amid the divorce proceedings with Jonas.
Fans have theorized that "Patient Zero" reflects Swift's perspective on her past with Jonas and her subsequent support for Turner. One widely circulated theory suggests that because Swift and Jonas had one of their first public romances, she considers herself "patient zero." The theory posits that upon hearing about the breakup, Swift was not surprised, especially after Turner reached out.
Another fan commented, "I mean Sophie literally moved into her house lol 💯 it’s Sophie/Joe." A third user wrote, "Probably not about this but patient zero REALLY reminds me of when she and sophie turner became thick as thieves when her and joe jonas broke up."
However, some fans propose that the song might be about Swift's former partner, Joe Alwyn, whom she dated for over six years. These fans draw comparisons between "Patient Zero" and other songs Swift has written about Alwyn, such as "Cruel Summer" and "You're Losing Me." The lyrical themes of a "devil on his shoulder under his halo" in "Patient Zero" are seen as similar to imagery used in "Cruel Summer" to describe a past relationship. Additionally, "You're Losing Me," interpreted as being about the dissolution of her relationship with Alwyn, also features a medical motif, mirroring the theme in "Patient Zero."