Taylor Swift is opening up about the emotional journey behind “I Knew It, I Knew You,” her newly released original song for Toy Story 5. Just minutes after the track arrived on June 5 via Walt Disney Records, the superstar shared a heartfelt message reflecting on the creative process, her lifelong connection to the franchise, and the experience of writing music inspired by Jessie.
In a post shared across social media, Swift described the song as both a new artistic challenge and a return to familiar territory.
“Writing this song felt like a musical departure and coming home at the same time,” she wrote. “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.”
The singer also thanked Toy Story 5 writer-director Andrew Stanton, revealing that the collaboration had been in the works for years.
“Thank you to the brilliant Andrew Stanton for imagining me for this, all those years ago when you wrote this newest film,” Swift continued. “Thank you to the incomparable Randy Newman for the gorgeous sonic tapestry of songs and scores you’ve meticulously woven over the years. You created the Toy Story musical world, and we are lucky to get to live in it.”
Swift further explained that she and longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff approached the song from a place of genuine affection for the beloved Pixar characters.
“By we, I mean myself and my pal Jack Antonoff,” she wrote. “We wrote this with so much adoration for these characters that made us laugh and helped us learn lessons and think outside the backyard all throughout our childhoods.”
“I Knew It, I Knew You” arrives after weeks of elaborate teasing that sparked widespread fan speculation online. The campaign began on April 30, when a cloud-themed countdown briefly appeared on Swift’s website before disappearing minutes later. Additional clues followed throughout May, including Toy Story-inspired billboards, modified artwork for 1989 (Taylor’s Version), cloud projections on the Empire State Building, and cryptic social media posts from both Swift’s team and Pixar.
The mystery was finally solved on June 1, when Swift officially announced the song and confirmed it would appear on the soundtrack for Toy Story 5, which hits theaters on June 19. According to Disney, the track was inspired by Jessie’s emotional journey throughout the franchise.
The release also marks Swift’s first new song since her blockbuster album The Life of a Showgirl.
Leave a Reply