Taylor Swift Offers a Show of Solidarity With Her Ex’s New Partner on “Patient Zero”

In her taut new track, “Patient Zero”, Taylor Swift offers friendship in a show of solidarity with her ex’s new partner. The song appears on Swift’s surprise-not-surprised deluxe release, The Life Of A Showgirl: The Encore.

Somebody Who Might Know

Written and produced with Swedish hitmakers Max Martin and Shellback, the don’t-bore-us-get-to-the-chorus crowd begins here with the hook:

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 has seen this movie before. She shares her experience with an ex’s new romantic partner. And if you need someone to lean on, she announces, I’m here for you.

I’ve gotta be honest, I’ve been expecting your call,
No, it’s not a bad time at all.
I heard somebody saying there’s trouble in paradise,
And my lips are sealed tight now.

Been There, Done That

Remember, Swift already documented how she knows “All Too Well” the lingering effects of heartache. And perhaps her own experience of having her heart smashed over and over again will be of some help.

I bet he burst into your life like fireworks,
I bet he even said “I love you” first.
And when you saw another woman coming out of his place,
I bet he kissed the rain off your face.

Showing Gratitude

Writing on social media about her 2025 LPs expanded Encore edition, Swift said:

“About a year ago, you guys did a truly unfathomable thing. Something that completely blew my mind… You gave ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ the biggest first week for an album in history. I took a trip to Sweden to celebrate with Max and Shellback, my two collaborators on this album. Really, we just wanted to reflect and take in how grateful we were for the moment we were in, but there was a studio there, and we did what we do when we feel anything at all: We wrote more songs. I hope you love them, because they were born out of pure gratitude for your exuberance for and celebration of the album we made.”

Photo by Kevin Mazur/TAS18/Getty Images for TAS