Just days before she's set to appear at the 2026 MTV VMAs and receive the Artist Director Honors, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift has announced a new song, “Patient Zero.”
The single is available to purchase on CD from her merchandise storefront. Three versions of the song are available to purchase: a standard edition, an acoustic version, and a piano version. All three versions come with unique artwork and a double-sided cover.
They are available to buy from her store until Wednesday, Sep. 23, 2026, at 1:59 pm EST. So, Swifties will have to act fast if they hope to secure a copy.
This is her first new single since “I Knew It, I Knew You” for the Toy Story 5 soundtrack. Similarly, she released several versions of the song on her store.
What Taylor Swift had to say about “Patient Zero”
Swift posted about the single on her Instagram account. She has been holding back the news of the song for a while. She claimed that she's “been impatiently waiting to tell you that my brand new single, ‘Patient Zero,' will be out on September 25.”
Article Continues BelowIt's currently unknown whether this is the lead single from a forthcoming album or leftover from the Life of a Showgirl sessions. Either way, it's new material for Swifties to dig into.
This is the third single she has released this year. First, Swift issued two singles from The Life of a Showgirl: “Opalite” on Jan. 12 and “Elizabeth Taylor” on Mar. 9. She then released “I Knew It, I Knew You” on June 5.
Swift has also been busy watching her husband, Travis Kelce, play in his likely final year in the NFL. She attended both of the Kansas City Chiefs' wins this season at Arrowhead Stadium. Next, she will be at the MTV VMAs on Sunday, Sep. 27. Maybe she will perform “Patient Zero” for the first time at the ceremony.