We need to talk about the hologram in Taylor Swift’s apartment. That is to say, her 2024 deep-cut “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus,” where the singer-songwriter conjures the intriguing image of a former flame entrenched in someone new with the opening line, “Your hologram stumbled into my apartment/ Hands in the hair of somebody in darkness.”
Released in 2024 as part of the extended version of her 11th album, “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus” has become a beloved fan-favorite despite being tucked into the The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology as Track 20 out of 31. It’s a devastating song about being haunted by a never fully realized relationship for over a decade. Now, the song is having a moment.
Fans online have increasingly shared their love for “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus” in recent weeks, and it’s led to a spike in streams. From Sept. 18 to the following week Sept. 25, the track saw a 37 percent increase in U.S. on-demand streams, according to Luminate. It also experienced an overall increase in average streams from about 48,600 daily streams per week to 60,900 last week, a roughly 25 percent increase. While the actual daily peak of streams — 70,000, — isn’t huge especially given the superstar’s mega hit standards, it’s a notable jump for a Swift track that only peaked at Number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 during its debut week. “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus” was never supposed to yield commercial success, not with all of its tortured energy about ghosts, wild horses, and what-ifs. Instead, it’s more of a slow burn, a conversation starter for those that welcome total devastation via Aaron Dessner-produced piano.
The increased interest in the track is, in part, thanks to one particular online voice who understands the emotional catharsis: Bald Ann Dowd. Yes, you read that right. It’s the name of the account, and social media persona, run by New York-based creator Alison Sivitz, which honors the award-winning actress of the same name, and even features a photoshopped image of the real Ann Dowd with a bald head. What started as a niche joke online a couple of years ago has now become embedded into pop culture as celebrities like Rachel Zegler and Charli XCX posted in appreciation of Bald Ann Dowd. Earlier this year, Sivitz even interviewed the real Dowd.
Sivitz posts about anything and everything whether it be movies, new music releases, or just straight-up memes to her 70K followers. In the past couple of weeks, she hasn’t been able to stop posting about Swift’s “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus.” As of this writing, Bald Ann Dowd account posted nearly 30 times about the track on X, and made six TikTok videos. The posts ranged from her funny reaction clips to her own take on the lyrics like, “If you just watched it happen and I couldn’t watch it happen then who the hell just stumbled into my apartment.” The posts were so frequent that some of her followers even reached out to Sivitz with concern. “Guys I appreciate the wellness check dms but I promise you I am not sad. This song makes me feel like I could run through a wall. It’s like sicko mode to me,” the creator wrote on X, comparing the somber song to Travis Scott’s 2018 hit.
Since then, Sivitz’s hyperfixation has become infectious on X and beyond. Other social media accounts — from stan accounts and otherwise — have also posted about the song. “Twitter opened my eyes to the sheer angst and depression that is this masterpiece,” wrote one X user, which interestingly enough, is a My Chemical Romance fan account. “Bringing the hologram that stumbled into my apartment to my job interview,” wrote another X user. One TikTok video of someone breaking down as they sang along to the song garnered 2 million views. Naturally, Bald Ann Dowd reposted the clip.
What is it about “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus” that makes listeners want to float in its melancholy orbit? Well, it is a gold standard of Swift’s killer songwriting as she sums up the entire haunting story at the heart of Tortured Poets into one three-minute song. It also features a Swiftian bridge that builds and spirals till it breaks with the casually cruel admission, “Too impaired by my youth to know what to do.” As Bald Ann Dowd puts it, “If you ever catch me in this situation genuinely just kill me.”
After Swift released The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore to mixed reviews, fans have looked back on TTPD with a new fondness, appreciating the poetic lyrics compared to The Encore’s four new bonus tracks. Swift’s 11th album has always been a “choose-your-own-adventure,” with more than enough songs to revisit, dissect, and fall in love with. “Guilty As Sin,” a non-single, also became popular months after the album was released.
In fact, with Swift’s massive catalog of songs, various deep cuts have been appreciated long after they were first shared. “Right Where You Left Me” from Evermore and “Clean” off 1989 come to mind, as do Red’s “All Too Well” and Lover’s “Cruel Summer,” which went on to become commercial hits after fans stood behind the songs. It’s unlikely that “Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus” will ever dominate radio or notch a top slot on the charts, but it’s finally getting the recognition it deserves. You just watched it happen.
