Saddle Up, Swifties — Taylor Swift is returning to her country music roots with her new song “I Knew It, I Knew You” from the Toy Story 5 movie.
Written with beloved Cowgirl character Jessie in mind, “I Knew It, I Knew You” arrives at midnight Friday (June 5) and finds the pop superstar exploring her native genre, both sonically and lyrically. The theme will appear on the soundtrack for the fifth movie in the series, which will be released on June 19, the same day Toy Story 5 hits theaters.
Swift posted a message to X with a link to the new song, sharing, “Writing this song felt like both a musical departure and a return home. Creating something for Jesse felt both a new challenge and second nature at the same time. And being a Toy Story kid from age 5 until now is an adventure I plan on continuing indefinitely and beyond.”
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Starring Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, reprising their iconic voice roles as Woody and Buzz Lightyear, respectively, with Joan Cusack also returning to voice Jesse, Toy Story 5 follows how Andy’s old toys cope with a new electronic tablet that takes over the attention of its current owner, Bonnie.
Swift revealed that she was involved in Toy Story 5 only after mysterious “TS” billboards using the film series’ distinctive font appeared in various locations around the world, just five days before the song’s release. The 14-time Grammy winner’s website has also been changed to display a Toy Story-themed countdown leading up to Monday’s announcement.
“Toy Story 5” director and writer Andrew Stanton said in a statement: “We can’t believe how much it meant to have Taylor write and perform this song.”
“You can’t deny her connection with Jesse and her instant understanding of what that character was going through,” he added. “This song has a very deep connection to Toy Story. The moment I heard it for the first time, it felt like it had been there all along, like a lost family member.”
Listen to Swift’s new Toy Story 5 song “I Knew It, I Knew You” below.
