Taylor Swift announces new song 'I Knew It, I Knew You' for Toy Story 5

1 June 2026, 19:17 | Updated: 1 June 2026, 19:43

By Sam Prance

Following weeks of teasers, Taylor Swift has finally confirmed that she is involved with Toy Story 5.

Swifties assemble! Taylor Swift has officially announced a new single called 'I Knew It, I Knew You' for Toy Story 5.

For weeks, Swifties have been in a constant state of panic. Back in April, Toy Story imagery briefly appeared on Taylor Swift's official website. Then, mysterious TS billboards with 13 clouds on them popped up around the world on May 29th and Pixar's official social media accounts started sharing them online with references to Taylor lyrics.

Most recently, Taylor launched an official countdown on her website with the TS billboard and a fun animation of Toy Story 5's Jessie included. Now, we know that all of this teasing was to do with a new Taylor/Toy Story 5 single.

• Read more: When does 'Taylor Swift (Taylor's Version)' come out? All the clues so far
• Read more: Selena Gomez reveals Taylor Swift's Dorothea lyrics are about her

View this post on Instagram

Taking to Instagram on June 1st, Taylor wrote: "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 added: "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?"

The song was co-written and co-produced by Taylor and Jack Antonoff and, according to Variety, is being touted by Disney as "a return to country" for Taylor.

Three CD variations of 'I Knew It, I Knew You' are available to preorder on Taylor's website including an acoustic version and a piano version.

For reference, Taylor has seemingly teased this Toy Story linkup multiple times over the past few weeks.

From editing the art for 1989 (Taylor's Version) to feature clouds instead of seagulls (1989TV is TS5 for reference), to capitalising the letters T and S in the lyrics for her Track 5s on Apple Music, she's dropped multiple easter eggs.

Perhaps biggest of all, Taylor discussed her favourite way to write songs in a recent New York Times interview and fans have come up with a theory that Taylor was describing the song she is about to release for Toy Story 5.

Describing a hypothetical song in a songwriting exercise, Taylor said: "A hypothetical structure would be: first verse, a little girl learns a lesson that, in the chorus, her mum teaches her about. Then the little girl grows up, and now she’s a teenager, and she realises, ‘Oh my god, my mom was right about this'."

"Now, the second time you hear the hook, that same hook means something a little bit different, because she’s grown up in her life," she continued. "Then the bridge, maybe she goes on in her life. She has a little girl. She imparts that wisdom to her."

"And then, if you really want to get me to cry, bring back that same first line of the song and end the song with it."

In a statement published by Variety, Disney said: "Inspired by the rootin’ tootin’ cowgirl Jessie’s ongoing journey in Toy Story 5 that began back in Toy Story 2, ‘I Knew It, I Knew You’ also marks a return to Taylor Swift’s country roots, blending styles that have defined her record-breaking career as a songwriter and artist."

Toy Story 5 writer-director Andrew Stanton also said in a statement: "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."

Based on what Taylor's said, it looks like 'I Knew It, I Knew You' will be eligible for Best Original Song at the Oscars in 2027. The official requirements are: "An original song consists of words and music, both of which are original and written specifically for the motion picture.

"There must be a clearly audible, intelligible, substantive rendition (not necessarily visually presented) of both lyric and melody, used in the body of the motion picture or as the first music cue in the end credits."

If Taylor is nominated for an Academy Award for 'I Knew It, I Knew You' and wins, this would be her first Oscar.

Read more about Taylor Swift here:

• Taylor Swift thanks Travis Kelce in acceptance speech as couple finally make award show debut
• Selena Gomez reveals Taylor Swift's Dorothea lyrics are about her
• Taylor Swift's unreleased 'Family' song about Selena Gomez has finally been revealed
• Taylor Swift reveals why she refuses to do the Super Bowl halftime show
• Taylor Swift reveals her favourite Taylor Swift songs

WATCH: Conan Gray Rates His Iconic Red Carpet Looks And Spills All | My Life In 20 Questions

Conan Gray Rates His Iconic Red Carpet Looks And Spills All | My Life In 20 Questions

Listen live to Capital, and catch up on any shows you missed, on Global Player.