UPDATED, June 4: Taylor Swift‘s coming for that Oscar on her bathroom floor. Her new Toy Story 5 song, “I Knew It, I Knew You” is now streaming.
The song marks a return to Swift’s early career genre, country music.
“Writing this song felt like a musical departure and coming home at the same time,” the singer wrote on Instagram, captioned over an old home video of her younger self in an outfit that looks a lot like Jessie’s, red cowgirl boots and all. “Creating something for Jessie was a new challenge and also felt like second nature all at once. And being a @toystory kid from the age of 5 til now… is an adventure I plan to be on, to infinity and beyond.”
This is far from the first song Swift has written for a film, with “Carolina” for Sony 3000 Pictures and Hello Sunshine’s Where the Crawdads Sing movie adaptation of Delia Owens’ book being her most recent foray into film work. Other notable hits include “Crazier” and “You Can Always Find Your Way Back Home” for Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009), “Today Was a Fairytale” for Valentine’s Day (2010) in which she appeared along ex boyfriend Taylor Lautner, “Eyes Open” and “Safe and Sound” feat. the Civil Wars for the Hunger Games films and more.
Swift wrote the song with longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff, and she thanked director Andrew Stanton for “imagining [her] for this” as well as Randy Newman for “the gorgeous sonic tapestry of songs and scores you’ve meticulously woven over the years.”
“We wrote this with so much adoration for these characters that made us laugh and helped us learn lessons and think outside the backyard throughout our childhoods,” she concluded.
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PREVIOUS, June 1: Taylor Swift’s next song will arrive to streaming platforms June 5. The singer songwriter has penned an original song for Disney Pixar’s Toy Story 5, titled “I Knew It, I Knew You.”
Over the weekend, billboards with the TS initials, which stand for Taylor Swift and Toy Story popped up in Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, Toronto, Mexico City and London. The songstress’ rerecorded 1989 (Taylor’s Version) album artwork also subtly changed to feature clouds in the background instead of seagulls. This morning, another countdown built up to the announcement at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT.
The singer songwriter posted on her Instagram announcing the news, recalling seeing the film “in its early stages.” She wrote the song with longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff. The song will mark a returnt o Swift’s country roots, and it was inspired by cowgirl Jessie’s (Joan Cusack) ongoing journey that began in Toy Story 2.
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“I wrote this song as soon as I got home from the screening,” she said. “Sometimes you just know, right?”
Toy Story 5 director and screenwriter Andrew Stanton said, “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. The song is so deeply connected to ‘Toy Story.’ So much so that on first listen, it instantly felt like it had always belonged there, like a long-lost family member. It was kismet.”
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Speculation of this collaboration for the film first began when eagle-eyed Swifties spotted a countdown on Swift’s website with a familiar cloud-patterned background at the end of April. It wasn’t clear whether this was a glitch or mishap because the content disappeared from her website.
Swift has been relatively quiet in terms of new music since she released her twelfth studio album The Life of a Showgirl last October by similar countdown hint. The end of May 2026 marked a year since she regained control over her master recordings, posting a photo on Instagram of herself joyfully holding her first six albums.
Toy Story 5 will follow a Toys vs. Tech theme with the introduction of tablet Lilypad (voiced by Greta Lee) into Bonnie’s life, diverting her attention from the classic ensemble of toys previously belonging to Andy.
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Conan O’Brien, Craig Robinson, Shelby Rabara, Scarlett Spears, Mykal-Michelle Harris and Matty Matheson have joined the voice cast in the roles of Smarty Pants, Atlas, Snappy, 8-year-old Bonnie, Blaze and Dr. Nutcase, respectively. Andrew Stanton directed the franchise’s latest installment.
Deadline also broke the news that For All Mankind and Paradise star Krys Marshall has been cast as an adult character. Recast voice roles include Jeff Bergman — who voices the Looney Tunes’ Bugs Bunny — as the sarcastic Mr. Potato Head, previously voiced by the late Don Rickles; Anna Vocino as the nurturing Mrs. Potato Head; (Previously Estelle Harris) John Hopkins as the dignified hedgehog plush toy Mr. Pricklepants formerly voiced by Timothy Dalton and Ernie Hudson as the action figure Combat Carl, taking over for the late Carl Weathers.
The film arrives in theaters June 19.
