Taylor Swift Records New Song for Toy Story 5

Taylor Swift has officially confirmed her involvement in the upcoming Disney and Pixar film Toy Story 5 by announcing a new original song titled “I Knew It, I Knew You” [1, 3]. The track, which marks a return to the singer's country roots, is set to be released on June 5 ahead of the film’s theatrical debut on June 19 [1, 3].

Key takeaways

• The new song, “I Knew It, I Knew You,” was written and produced by Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff [1, 3].
• The track is inspired by the character Jessie and her journey throughout the Toy Story franchise [1, 3].
• Fans can preorder three different collector’s edition CDs of the single for $3.99 on Swift’s website [1, 3].
• The song will be featured on the Toy Story 5 soundtrack when it releases on June 19 [1, 3].

From fan theories to official confirmation

The announcement followed weeks of intense speculation from fans, who began connecting the singer to the film after spotting mysterious billboards in cities like Chicago, London, and Dallas [2, 3]. These billboards featured the initials “TS” and 13 clouds—a number famously associated with Swift—set against the franchise’s signature blue-sky wallpaper [1, 2, 4]. The rumors gained further traction when the official Toy Story Instagram account shared a video of the character Jessie dancing to Swift’s hit song “Shake It Off” [2, 3].

While the production team initially attempted to downplay the rumors, director and screenwriter Andrew Stanton later expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration [1, 2, 3]. Stanton noted that the song felt like a “long-lost family member” to the film, praising Swift’s immediate understanding of Jessie’s character arc [1, 3]. Swift herself shared her excitement on Instagram, noting that she has been a fan of the franchise since she was five years old and wrote the song immediately after viewing an early screening of the movie [1, 3].

Why it matters

The collaboration continues a long-standing professional relationship between Swift and Disney, which has previously served as the home for several of her projects, including The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version) and various concert films [1, 2]. By integrating her music into a major Pixar franchise, the partnership highlights the ongoing intersection between Swift’s massive cultural influence and high-profile Hollywood productions [2]. As the film approaches its June 19 release date, the inclusion of the song serves as a significant promotional anchor for the latest installment in the long-running series [1, 3].