Taylor Swift announced on Monday that she has recorded an original song for the upcoming animated film Toy Story 5. The 36-year-old pop superstar shared the news on Instagram and X, informing her more than 353 million followers about the track titled I Knew It, I Knew You.
Swift wrote that she composed the song after viewing an early cut of the movie. "It's a Toy Story ? You knew it! My new original song I Knew It, I Knew You for Disney and @Pixar's @toystory 5 will be yours on June 5th. I've always dreamed of getting to write for these characters who I've adored since I was a 5 year old kid watching the first Toy Story movie," she posted.
The pop star added that she fell in love with the film during an early screening and wrote the song immediately after returning home. "Sometimes you just know, right?" she wrote, noting that fans can pre-order the track exclusively on her site. Toy Story 5 hits theaters on June 19.
Fans React with Excitement
Fans of both Swift and the franchise responded enthusiastically to the announcement. One follower commented, "MY FAVE PIXAR MOVIE AND MY FAVE SINGER TOGETHER," while another predicted, "I just know this song is going to bring tears with it."
Return to Country Roots
Disney confirmed in a statement that the song, co-written and co-produced by Jack Antonoff, is inspired by the character Jessie's ongoing journey that began in Toy Story 2. The studio described the track as a "return to Taylor Swift's country roots, blending styles that have defined her record-breaking career."
Director Andrew Stanton praised Swift's ability to connect with Jessie. "It's incredible just how meaningful it's been having Taylor write and perform this song. Her connection to Jessie and the immediate way she understood what the character was going through was undeniable," he said in a news release. "The song is so deeply connected to Toy Story that on first listen, it instantly felt like it had always belonged there."
Collector's Edition CDs Available
In keeping with Swift's tradition of releasing variants, her website is currently offering three collector's edition CDs featuring unique artwork from Toy Story 5 and different versions of I Knew It, I Knew You: the radio release, a piano interpretation, and an acoustic rendition. These are available until June 3 at 1:59 p.m. EST or while supplies last.
Swift's fans had speculated about her involvement after her official website briefly displayed a mysterious countdown in April featuring a Toy Story-style image.
Legacy of Toy Story Music
Previous Toy Story films have featured contributions from superstar artists, including Randy Newman's You've Got a Friend in Me, Sarah McLachlan's When She Loved Me, and Chris Stapleton's The Ballad of the Lonesome Cowboy. Toy Story 5 opens in theaters on June 19.
