Taylor Swift didn't just lend her name to Toy Story 5 - she wrote the song in one sitting, the same night she saw the film.
In her Instagram announcement, Swift revealed she watched an early screening of Toy Story 5, came home, and wrote "I Knew It, I Knew You" immediately. "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," she wrote.
The song, co-written and produced with longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff, centers on Jessie the cowgirl - a character who faces an emotionally charged journey in Toy Story 5, forced to reckon with change and identity. Disney officially describes it as "a return to Swift's country roots, blending styles that have defined her record-breaking career."
Director Andrew Stanton said Swift's connection to the character was immediate and undeniable. "On first listen, it instantly felt like it had always belonged there, like a long-lost family member. It was kismet," he said.
Fans have already found the Easter eggs: exactly 13 clouds on the announcement billboard - Swift's lucky number - and the letters T and S capitalized on lyrics for all of Swift's Track 5s across every album on Apple Music.
The single releases June 5, with the full Toy Story 5 soundtrack dropping June 19 - the same day the film hits theaters. Three collector's edition CDs (standard, acoustic, and piano versions) are available now on Swift's website while supplies last.
There's something quietly beautiful about a song born from pure instinct - written not for strategy, but out of love for a story. That kind of creative surrender, some might say, is its own form of faith.
Related Article: Taylor Swift Announces Original Song for Toy Story 5, Marking Her First New Music Release of 2026
