About
Polyphonic Perception is a term used to describe the ability to distinguish and follow multiple, overlapping melodies and components in a song at once. The concept of Polyphonic Perception was popularized on TikTok[1] in July 2025 as TikTokers began posting videos attempting to visualize how Polyphonic Perception works, including TikTokers @ohhlalashay and @iambrelle. The videos inspired mockery and a meme trend in which other TikTokers parody[2] the videos. The concept of Polyphonic Perception, as it is represented in the videos, also became the subject of criticism, with some, including neuroscientist Dr. Chloe West, claiming that Polyphonic Perception is not a specialized skill or talent, but a general term that applies to everyone.
Origin
On July 3rd, 2025, TikToker @ohhlalashay posted a video captioned, “pov my ADHD[3] gave me the super power of polyphonic perception,” garnering over 1.8 million views in two weeks.
In the video, the TikToker listens to “From Time” by Drake[4] while acting out the song’s instrumentation and lip syncing, attempting to show how her “Polyphonic Perception” allows her to easily distinguish all the parts in the song. This is the earliest known notable video to use the exact term.
@ohhlalashay[5] Polyphonic perception: the skill of separating and following more than one melody or voice at once.
Spread
The idea of Polyphonic Perception spread on TikTok over the course of the month, inspiring other TikTokers to post similar videos.
Most notably, on July 12th, 2025, TikToker @iambrelle posted a video following the same format as @ohhlalashay to “My Love” by Justin Timberlake[7], captioned, “Visual representation of polyphonic perception to me,” garnering over 8.9 million views in five days.
@iambrelle This is the best way I can describe what its like every time I hear music. #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #adhd #polyphonic ♬ My Love (feat. T.I.) – Justin Timberlake[8][9][10][11][12]
On July 13th, TikToker @anelie.c posted a video criticizing the idea of Polyphonic Perception, writing, “Tik Tok has discovered a new word to make them feel special. That is not polyphonic perception u are just listening to a song. ‘Wait, not everyone hears music like this?’ Yes actually they do. The same vibrations reaching ur ears are also reaching NT’s ears. That is how music works,” garnering over 616,000 views in four days.
On the same day, music teacher and TikToker @originalgreatest posted a video saying, “Just because you can hear multiple layers in a song does not make you neurodivergent[13],” garnering over 750,000 views in the same span of time.
@anelie.c 😭😭 ‘I can hear all the layers of a song separately and all at once’ yes ok ur ears are working queen keep it up #polyphonicperception ♬ My Love (feat. T.I.) – Justin Timberlake[14][15][16]
On July 15th, 2025, TikToker @fairybonessucks posted a video making fun of TikToker @iambrelle’s Polyphonic Perception video, recreating it using the song “Sail[17]” by AWOLNATION, garnering over 5.9 million views in two days.
@fairybonessucks edit: listen, she’s a grown woman who i assume can take a joke. it’s not that serious. breathe. lol. #polyphonicperception ♬ Sail – AWOLNATION[18][19][20]
On July 16th, X user @heisbayo_ reposted @iambrelle’s video, writing, “Who else can relate?” garnering over 18,000 likes and 8,200 reposts in a day. Later that day, X user @WordsByKyle quoted the post, writing, “This is literally the funniest video to hit socials this week,” garnering over 149,000 likes in a day.
On July 17th, 2025, content creator and music reviewer Anthony Fantano[21] made a post on X reading, “I 100% support that girl who just discovered listening to music and I think we should all be nice to her,” garnering over 14,000 likes in under a day. Presumably, he is referring to @iambrelle.
Various Examples
@originalgreatest Yall realize as music people this is the normal for us… #fyp #polyphonicperception #polyphonic #trending #music ♬ My Love (feat. T.I.) – Justin Timberlake[22][23][24][25][26][27][28]
@cricken_[29] do you guys experience this too😅😅
@edwinhonoret This polyphonic perception is getting out of hand lmao #polyphonicperception ♬ original sound – Edwin Honoret[31][32][33]
@drchloewest Replying to @Syn 🍭 Neuroscience behind polyphonic perception! #sciencetok #womeninstem #perception #science #fyp #greenscreen ♬ growth – Gede Yudis[34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41]
Search Interest
External References
References
- ^ TikTok (knowyourmeme.com)
- ^ parody (knowyourmeme.com)
- ^ ADHD (knowyourmeme.com)
- ^ Drake (knowyourmeme.com)
- ^ @ohhlalashay (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ ♬ original sound – 🎼 (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ Justin Timberlake (knowyourmeme.com)
- ^ @iambrelle (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ fyppppppppppppppppppppppp (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ adhd (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ polyphonic (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ ♬ My Love (feat. T.I.) – Justin Timberlake (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ neurodivergent (knowyourmeme.com)
- ^ @anelie.c (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ polyphonicperception (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ ♬ My Love (feat. T.I.) – Justin Timberlake (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ Sail (knowyourmeme.com)
- ^ @fairybonessucks (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ polyphonicperception (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ ♬ Sail – AWOLNATION (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ Anthony Fantano (knowyourmeme.com)
- ^ @originalgreatest (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ fyp (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ polyphonicperception (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ polyphonic (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ trending (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ music (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ ♬ My Love (feat. T.I.) – Justin Timberlake (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ @cricken_ (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ ♬ My Love (feat. T.I.) – Justin Timberlake (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ @edwinhonoret (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ polyphonicperception (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ ♬ original sound – Edwin Honoret (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ @drchloewest (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ sciencetok (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ womeninstem (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ perception (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ science (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ fyp (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ greenscreen (www.tiktok.com)
- ^ ♬ growth – Gede Yudis (www.tiktok.com)