Taylor Swift’s New Song for ‘Toy Story 5’ Arrives
Taylor Swift has released a new song, ‘I Knew It, I Knew You,’ for the upcoming Disney and Pixar film ‘Toy Story 5.’ This release marks a return to her country roots.
Swift Reconnects with Country Music
Though Swift doesn’t emphasize a traditional country twang in the track, the song incorporates core country elements like live instrumentation, banjo, and harmonica. Observers often point to her 2012 album ‘Red’ as her last foray into the country genre, though ‘Speak Now’ is seen as her most recent true country album from over 15 years ago.
‘I Knew It, I Knew You’ also marks Swift’s first original music release since ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ debuted last October. Co-producer Jack Antonoff, known for starting collaborations with Swift on her 2014 album ‘1989,’ partners with her once again. Their partnership is notable post-Swift’s country era, with ‘Betty’ from the ‘Folklore’ album being an exception.
“Writing this song felt like a musical departure and coming home at the same time,” Swift expressed on social media. She noted her excitement about contributing to the beloved ‘Toy Story’ character Jessie.
Billboards and Pre-sales
Prior to the song’s release, billboards displaying ‘TS’ styled similar to the ‘Toy Story’ logo emerged in cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and London. Swift announced the song’s pending release on Instagram, sharing her lifelong connection to the ‘Toy Story’ franchise. She also informed fans about the preorder availability of the CD single, which included versions of the song from the film, acoustic, and piano.
All versions sold out quickly. ‘Toy Story 5’ director Andrew Stanton praised Swift’s understanding and connection to the character Jessie, highlighting the deep relevance of the song to the ‘Toy Story’ universe.
Oscar Speculation
There is buzz among fans about a potential Oscar nomination for the song in the original song category. For the 2027 Academy Awards, the song and the film must be released theatrically within the calendar year. ‘Toy Story 5’ is set for June 19, meeting this qualification.
The new rule requires the song to play over the end credits and overlap with the film’s final seconds. If Swift’s song is nominated and wins, she will move closer to achieving EGOT status, currently holding 14 Grammys and an Emmy.