Taylor Swift’s “Patient Zero” has prompted debate after fans interpreted its lyrics as a swipe at ex Joe Alwyn, though its subject is not confirmed. The track is one of four new songs slated for Sept. 25 on the Encore edition of “The Life of a Showgirl.”
The song’s narrator takes a call from a woman dating an ex and says she was “patient zero.” Its bridge suggests the ex is climbing socially by benefiting from the narrator’s reflected fame. Some fans connect that to Alwyn, but the article notes the song may draw on multiple muses and that lyrical readings are subjective.
Some commenters argue that accusing Alwyn of using Swift for fame conflicts with criticizing him for keeping their relationship private. Swift said in her 2020 documentary that they decided together to keep the relationship private; in a 2023 Time interview, she described the effort required to hide a relationship. The article also notes that Swift embarked on a six-month, 53-date global stadium tour and released five albums and two rerecordings during their relationship.
