What Does the Symphony Dolphin Meme Mean?

If there’s one thing Gen Z and Gen Alpha kids are going to do, it’s bring back our favorite nostalgic memories and transform them into a TikTok trend. The latest target of their inspiration? Cute pictures of a dolphin that bring to mind the colorful artwork of '90s and 2000s icon Lisa Frank.

With over 11.5 million views and counting, the younger generation has taken these psychedelic photos and used them as a new meme format. The posts often depict depressing messages or complaints scrawled atop of the brightly-colored images, with the song “Symphony” by Zara Larsson in the background.

So, what is the Symphony dolphin meme, and what do you need to know if your kids are posting about it on social media? Below, we break down exactly what the dolphin meme means and why it’s gained such massive popularity recently.

Origin of the Symphony Dolphin Meme

According to the New York Post , TikTok creator @heiratet started the trend in August 2024, sharing an image of a dolphin with the message “I’m depressed” on it. Since then, hundreds of thousands of accounts have jumped on the trend with their own sad messages like “ $1,000 vet bill ” and “ I have social anxiety .”

“The dolphin meme has been around on social media for a minute, but began gaining steam when it was paired with the Zara Larsson song "Symphony" on TikTok earlier this year,” says Steffi Cao , a Gen Z culture writer and critic. “It's a more repeatable continuation of the original meme usage, which was to offer a sardonic representation of the mundanity of our daily lives . Some of the first iterations I saw on Twitter were ‘how I see the world after eating a sandwich’ or ‘how it feels to listen to NewJeans’.”

The trend eventually took over the For You Page (FYP) and boosted the 2017 Larsson song into the Top 50 charts . The singer eventually made her own video copying the trend with the message “What the f**k is happening” on top of a dolphin image. Her post has received over 11.2 million likes and counting, and she even added dolphin visuals to her latest performances in a move one creator called “ reactive marketing .”

“The colors are saturated and bright, with a joyous dolphin leaping out from the ocean in the center, contrasting against a nihilistic or deeply personal caption like 'I have depression ,'" Cao explains. “Building on the ironic nature of the meme, coupled with the anthemic nature of Larsson's song, only adds to the hyperbole of the thing—a tool used in comedy that stretches well beyond the existence of the computer.”

The trend has gotten so big even the official Lisa Frank TikTok account has taken to posting about it with one of their videos saying “blissfully succumb to the whirling blackness of eternal oblivion” and another saying “I’m Lisa Frank and I started this trend.”

The Symphony Dolphin Meme, Explained

While the messages scribbled across the bubblegum pop pics might seem concerning, Cao says it’s ultimately just a way for teens to use dark humor to cope , similar to how videos like trauma dump candy salads and apocalyptic graphics of Skibidi Toilet have taken over FYPs everywhere.

“It's humor to match the times we're currently living in, which might feel jarring in comparison to the wholesome, positive humor of the millennial internet era, like ‘ermahgerd’ or Doge memes,” she explains. Much like " brat summer " and " demure ," these ironic dolphin memes are just another cog in the ever-changing trend cycle.

Symphony Dolphin Meme Social Media Trends

There are a few different ways teens are using the Symphony dolphin meme on social media. The first is to disseminate contrasting messages to the happy-go-lucky photos, which we’ve seen above.

But not everyone is choosing to use this trend as a way to voice their darker thoughts. Some have taken to sharing more positive messages. One user on X said “August is going to feel like this because I said so.” On LinkedIn, some businesses are using the meme to reference how it feels to go on PTO .

Meanwhile, brands have jumped on the trend as a way to market their services with Duolingo posting “end your streak and I’ll end you” as a teasing way to remind users to do their daily language lesson.

Should Parents Be Concerned About the Symphony Dolphin Meme?

While the main goal of the dolphin meme is dark humor, if you see your child posting something that discusses violence towards others or themselves , it might be a good idea to seek professional help. Otherwise, Cao says the trend is probably something parents don’t need to be concerned about.

“Your child would be taught hate, violence and prejudice with or without the internet, by virtue of the system we live in,” Cao says. “What parents need to focus on is making sure their children have perspective when it comes to their relationship with social media, and teach critical thinking skills, rather than fret about individual memes that always come and go.”

Ultimately, however, you know your child best, and if something seems off or worrisome, don't hesitate to ask questions or bring up your concerns with a health care professional.

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