What Is The 'Rainbow Dolphin' Meme? Zara Larsson's 'Symphony Dolphin' Meme Explained

The wholesome and gorgeous "Rainbow Dolphin" images featured in the most recent viral TikTok trend might make you think this is just a cute montage accompanied by Zara Larsson's "Symphony," but there's a lot more to it.

The Swedish singer quickly hopped in the "Symphony Dolphin" memes, as she incorporated the visuals of the viral meme at one of her shows.

Let's explain the origin of TikTok's latest sensation, the Symphony Dolphin memes, and how the absurd-looking images of dolphins jumping out of water with rainbows in the sky spread online.

What is the Symphony Dolphin meme?

The Symphony Dolphin meme, also known as the Rainbow Dolphin meme or Hopecore Dolphin meme, is a series of image macros and reaction images using illustrations of magical dolphins jumping out of water paired with demotivational quotes and honest confessions, similar to the How I See the World After X phrasal template.

Instead of wholesome messages accompanying the happy dolphin illustrations, TikTokers are using them alongside the most sad and depressive confessions, like the trend's pioneer did on August 18th, 2024, adding the text overlay "I'm depressed" and Zara Larssons' song "Symphony" playing in the background over the illustration of a dolphin breaching the water.

Where Is The Rainbow Dolphin Meme From?

The most used Rainbow Dolphin image featured in the meme actually had already been part of another trend back in December 2022 — the How I See the World After X meme, which is a phrasal template consisting of portraying optimism in the meme's creator after a certain event or activity.

The activity that's namedropped in the phrase most often contrasts the innocence of the rainbow background. The meme started and trended en masse on Instagram in early 2023.

The Rainbow Dolphin image was painted by artist Christian Riese Lassen, who shared a 4K version of the illustration on Reddit on June 25th, 2023.

How Is The Rainbow Dolphin Image Used In Memes?

As the Symphony Dolphin meme blew up on TikTok in a matter of weeks, users shared deranged and concerning confessions in the most comical and wholesome way possible using the image macro format. Here are some of the funniest posted so far:

Zara Larsson even joked about the success of the Symphony Dolphin memes and the fact her most viral video will leave a digital footprint of a rainbow dolphin illustration and the overlay text "What is happening."

For the full history of the Rainbow Dolphin, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.