Taylor Swift releases new song inspired by ‘Toy Story 5’
Taylor Swift releases new single ahead of the premiere of the movie Toy Story 5.
Officially, it’s called Tei Story.
Taylor Swift’s mysterious countdown reached zero on June 1st with the release of her original song titled “I Knew It, I Knew You.” The single will be released on June 5th.
The singer’s online store has released three Collector’s Edition CD singles: “I Knew It, I Knew You,” “I Knew It, I Knew You (Acoustic Version),” and “I Knew It, I Knew You (Piano Version).” Each CD costs $3.99 and is available until June 3rd, while supplies last.
Taylor Swift announced her latest single from Toy Story 5, “I Know It, I Know You,” on her website on June 1st, following a three-hour countdown that ended at 2pm ET. The song represents a return to Swift’s country music roots.
The singer’s homepage features a cartoon-style scene of a farmhouse and barn, featuring fan-favorite cowgirl cartoon Jessie. At the end of the countdown, three CDs were made available for purchase to fans: the single, an acoustic version of the single, and a piano version. The CD cost $3.99.
Taylor Swift’s ‘Toy Story’ speculation explained
The theory began on April 30, when a countdown briefly appeared on Swift’s website that featured Toy Story-style clouds and a yellow timer. The countdown appeared for about 10 minutes before disappearing, pointing to May 2nd, fueling fan speculation that an announcement was imminent.
No announcement materialized, and Swift’s team did not respond to emails from USA TODAY seeking comment.
On May 29th, Swifties spotted billboards in Chicago, London and Dallas featuring the franchise’s signature blue sky background and the letters “TS”, the initials for Taylor Swift and Toy Story. The background features 13 white clouds, a number long associated with Swift.
Toy Story 5 director Andrew Stanton addressed this rumor in an interview at Pixar headquarters. Stanton, along with co-director McKenna Harris and producer Lindsey Collins, were asked about fan speculation linking Swift to the film.
“We were surprised, too. What an honor,” Stanton said of the speculation sparked online by the countdown and Toy Story-style images on Swift’s website.
Collins added: “That would be pretty surprising.”
Stanton then shot down one of the biggest theories, saying Swift didn’t perform the film’s ending song.
“Sadly, I saw the movie being mixed last week and the last song that played wasn’t by Taylor Swift,” he said.
Stanton specifically addressed the theory that Swift would perform the film’s ending song, but did not comment on broader speculation about a possible collaboration.
A few days later, the film’s production company published an Instagram reel directly linking the singer to the fifth installment of the series.
The post featured Cowgirl character Jessie dancing to Swift’s “Shake It Off,” and included a caption referencing one of her biggest hits.
What does it mean to collaborate with a movie?
The collaboration with “Toy Story 5” could also have an impact on awards season.
Swift has already won 14 Grammy Awards.
An original song written for a major animated film could put her back in the Oscar conversation, one of the few major honors she has yet to win.
Industry observers have long speculated about Swift’s pursuit of EGOT status, an accomplishment that would see her win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award.
Her soundtrack credits include “Crazier” from The Hannah Montana Movie, “Today Was a Fairytale” from Valentine’s Day, “Safe & Sound” and “Eyes Open” from The Hunger Games, “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” from Fifty Shades Darker, “Beautiful Ghosts” from Cats, and “Carolina” from Where the Crawdads Sing. “Beautiful Ghost” was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and “Safe & Sound” won a Grammy Award for Best Song for Visual Media.
(This story will be updated as more information becomes available.)
