Taylor Swift confirms original country song 'I Knew It, I Knew You' for Toy Story 5 soundtrack, out June 5

The announcement

Taylor Swift officially confirmed on Monday, June 1, that her new original song "I Knew It, I Knew You" will be released on June 5 as part of the official Toy Story 5 soundtrack. The film itself is set to hit theaters on June 19. Swift shared the news with her 273 million Instagram followers, referencing her hit "Love Story" with the caption: "It's a Toy Story. You knew it!"

I've always dreamed of getting to write for these characters who I've adored since I was a five-year-old kid watching the first Toy Story movie.

Fan theories and marketing buildup

Rumors of Swift's involvement began swirling last week after fans spotted billboards featuring the initials "TS" in the blocky yellow Toy Story font. The posters appeared in cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, Toronto, Mexico City, and London. Adding to the speculation, Swift's website hosted a Toy Story-themed countdown that ended on June 1, and Pixar's teasers included 13 white clouds on a blue background — 13 being Swift's favorite number.

The song and its inspiration

Written and produced by Swift and her longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff, the track was inspired by the cowgirl character Jessie and marks a return to Swift's country music origins. Swift revealed she wrote the song immediately after attending an early screening of the film. Three physical CD variants are available for preorder on her website: the original version, an acoustic version, and a piano version.

I fell instantly in love with Toy Story 5 when I was lucky enough to see it in its early stages, and I wrote this song as soon as I got home from the screening. Sometimes you just know, right?

Director's reaction

Toy Story 5 director and screenwriter Andrew Stanton praised Swift's contribution, calling the collaboration "meaningful" and describing the song as feeling like a "long-lost family member" that instantly belonged with the film.

Her connection to Jessie and the immediate way she understood what the character was going through was undeniable.

Film context and release

Toy Story 5 will see classic characters Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and Jessie confronting the challenge of modern technology, facing off against a tablet called Lilypad in a battle for children's playtime attention. The film is directed by Andrew Stanton, co-directed by Kenna Harris, and produced by Lindsey Collins. It releases in the US on June 19, with a German release set for July 23. The single is Swift's first new music since her chart-topping 12th studio album The Life Of A Showgirl, released in autumn 2025.