Taylor Swift issues brutal warning about toxic ex in scathing ‘Patient Zero’ lyrics

By Page Six | Created at 2026-09-25 13:18:14 | Updated at 2026-09-25 14:32:12 1 hour ago

Taylor Swift’s latest lyrics are better than revenge.

The pop star issued a brutal warning about a toxic ex in her new song “Patient Zero” — and fans believe she was referring to former flame Joe Jonas.

In the new track off “The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore,” out Friday, Swift sings about befriending her ex’s current girlfriend.

Taylor Swift’s fans are convinced they know which ex the pop star is sending a warning about in her new song “Patient Zero.” Taylor Swift
Many Swifties have speculated the track is about one of her first public boyfriends Joe Jonas (pictured at the 2008 VMAs.) FilmMagic

She describes herself as “patient zero” — meaning she was the first to experience the emotional damage caused by the unnamed partner’s love and manipulation — and recalls the new girlfriend confiding in her about the couple’s issues.

“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,” she sings.

Many Swifties took to social media to claim the situation was reminiscent to Swift’s real-life dynamic with Joe Jonas and his now-ex-wife, Sophie Turner.

The Grammy winner briefly dated Jonas in 2008 before he, infamously, dumped her in a 27-second phone call.

Years after Jonas split with Swift, he began dating Sophie Turner (pictured in March 2023.) WireImage for Vanity Fair
Turner and Swift became friendly in 2019 while the actress was with Jonas (pictured above in April 2023.) GC Images

Jonas began dating Turner in 2016, and in 2019, she and Swift seemed to become friendly, making several public appearances together.

However, it was the “Game of Thrones” alum’s 2023 separation from Jonas that brought her and the songwriter especially close.

Swift, notably, offered Turner her New York City apartment as a free, safe space for the actress and her two daughters during her custody and divorce battle with Jonas.

The two women (pictured in September 2023) became very close after Turner split from Jonas. BeautifulSignatureIG / Shutterstock / SplashNews.com
The Grammy winner offered her NYC apartment to the actress (pictured in October 2023) and her daughters. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Due to this situation, many Swifties shared their theory that Swift believes she was Jonas’ “patient zero” and ultimately supported Turner because of it.

“so my patient zero theory is that she wrote this song for Sophie Turner amidst her very public divorce with Joe Jonas,” one theorized on X. “Joe & Taylor were each other’s first public romances, making her ‘patient zero.’ She heard the rumors about their breakup, & wasn’t surprised when sophie called.”

“I mean Sophie literally moved into her house lol 💯 it’s Sophie/Joe,” another added.

Fans came to this conclusion since the lyrics of the new track are about Swift (seen in the “Patient Zero” music video) befriending her ex’s current girlfriend. Taylor Swift
She describes herself as “patient zero,” meaning that she was the first to experience the emotional damage caused by the unnamed partner’s love and manipulation. Taylor Swift

A third 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.”

Others, however, are convinced Swift is singing about Joe Alwyn, who Swift dated for more than six years.

Many fans came to this conclusion by comparing “Patient Zero” to other songs Swift previously wrote about the “Hamnet” star.

In her 2019 track “Cruel Summer” — widely believed to be about the beginning of their love story — Swift invoked imagery of a devilish guy she fell for in the song’s pre-chorus.

Other fans believe the song is about her ex Joe Alwyn (pictured in 2019), who she dated for over six years. GC Images
Although the pair (pictured in 2018) kept their relationship very private, Swifties noticed similarities between her new song and previous ones written about him. Edward Opi / SplashNews.com

Similarly, the songwriter compared the subject of “Patient Zero” to an angelic-looking devil with the line about her knowing about “the devil on his shoulder under his halo.”

Additionally, her 2022 song “You’re Losing Me,” which is interpreted as being about the slow breakdown of her relationship with the British actor, also featured a medical theme like “Patient Zero,” with a pulse in the background of the track.

Reps for Swift, Jonas and Alwyn did not immediately respond to Page Six’s requests for comment.

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