Taylor Swift makes surprising confession about 'Patient Zero' before VMAs

Taylor Swift was having second thoughts about releasing her Patient Zero music video after seeing how cinematic it looked on set.

The pop superstar made the confession on her Instagram Stories on Sunday, September 27, just hours before the video’s premiere at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards.

“Walking through here and seeing the way that [Emmanuel Lubezki’s nickname] Chivo has lit this and the way the sets are and how brilliantly he has done this production design, I’m kind of rethinking the release of the video,” Swift, 36, said. “Like, I need to figure out a way to get this on TV or something.”

READ MORE: 2026 MTV VMAS reveal huge lineup with Madonna and Taylor Swift

The Grammy-winner added, “I’m just, sort of, like, ‘Google, when are the VMAs?’”

“Turns out the @VMAS are Sept 27 a.k.a. Today,” he joked in the caption.

Swift ultimately got her wish, with the video premiering during the ceremony. She directed the project, starring Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell, and recruited Oscar-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki.

Patient Zero appears on The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore, the extended version of TLOAS released September 25 alongside three other tracks.

READ MORE: Taylor Swift kicks off major milestone with 'TLOAS: Encore' after release