Taylor Swift returns to country music with original Toy Story 5 song

Taylor Swift has unveiled her new original song for Disney and Pixar's upcoming Toy Story 5, marking a notable return to her country music roots. Titled 'I Knew It, I Knew You,' the track features elements characteristic of the country genre, including live instrumentation, a plucky banjo, and a harmonica intro.

This release signifies a significant musical departure for Swift, whose last full-length country album was Speak Now over 15 years ago. While her 2012 album Red incorporated crossover elements, 'I Knew It, I Knew You' leans into the genre's distinct sounds. The song is also her first original material since 'The Life of a Showgirl' and is co-produced by long-time collaborator Jack Antonoff.

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Writing this song felt like a musical departure and coming home at the same time. Creating something for Jessie was a new challenge and also felt like second nature all at once. And being a Toy Story kid from the age of 5 til now… is an adventure I plan to be on, to infinity and beyond.

Swift shared her excitement on social media, describing the songwriting process as both a "musical departure and coming home." She referenced the beloved cowgirl character Jessie, stating that creating the song was a "new challenge and also felt like second nature." Swift, a self-proclaimed "Toy Story kid" since age five, called contributing to the franchise an adventure.

The rollout for the song included billboards with stylized "TS" initials, mirroring the Toy Story logo, appearing in major cities worldwide. Swift confirmed the song's release, expressing her lifelong dream of writing for the characters she adored since childhood. She revealed that she wrote the song immediately after seeing Toy Story 5 in its early stages, feeling an immediate connection to the project.

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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. 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?