Taylor Swift’s ‘Toy Story 5’ song is a return to pop country

NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� new song for the Disney and Pixar’s is here. On Friday, Swift released 鈥淚 Knew It, I Knew You,鈥� a bit of a return to country music for the performer who first made a name for herself in the Nashville music scene before taking over the world.

Here’s everything you need to know about 鈥淚 Knew It, I Knew You.鈥�

Taylor Swift goes country … again

Swift doesn’t sing with a familiar twang on 鈥淚 Knew It, I Knew You,鈥� but no matter 鈥� the song features some elements inextricable from the country genre: Live instrumentation, plucky banjo and harmonica that opens the track.

Most view Swift’s last official foray into the country music genre to be though the album is much more of a crossover experiment. It would be more astute to label 鈥淪peak Now鈥� as her last true-blue, full-length, country music release 鈥� and that was more than 15 years ago.

Additionally: 鈥淚 Knew It, I Knew You鈥� is also Swift’s first original material since was released in October.

The song is also her former, frequent collaborator. Swift started working with Antonoff on 2014’s 鈥�1989鈥� through

Notably, the pair started their long collaboration after Swift’s country era, perhaps with the rare exception of 鈥淏etty鈥� from her 2020 鈥淔olklore鈥� album.

鈥淲riting 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,鈥� Swift wrote on social media Friday, referencing the beloved cowgirl character. 鈥淎nd being a 鈥楾oy Story鈥� kid from the age of 5 til now鈥� is an adventure I plan to be on, to infinity and beyond.鈥�

The 鈥業 Knew It, I Knew You鈥� rollout

Last weekend, billboards with the initials 鈥淭S,鈥� stylized like the 鈥淭oy Story鈥� logo, appeared in Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, Toronto, Mexico City and London 鈥� fitting, as 鈥淭S鈥� works both for the beloved franchise and the musician.

On Monday, Swift confirmed the song was forthcoming, writing on Instagram, 鈥淚鈥檝e always dreamed of getting to write for these characters who I鈥檝e 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?鈥�

She also shared that preorders for three CD single versions of the track were available on her site. They quickly sold out: One features the song as it appears in the film, another is an acoustic version and the last is a piano version.

鈥淚t鈥檚 incredible just how meaningful it鈥檚 been having Taylor write and perform this song. Her connection to Jessie and the immediate way she understood what the character was going through was undeniable,鈥� 鈥淭oy Story 5鈥� said in a press statement at the time. 鈥淭he song is so deeply connected to 鈥楾oy Story.鈥� So much so that on first listen, it instantly felt like it had always belonged there, like a long-lost family member. It was kismet.鈥�

Is Taylor Swift headed to the Oscars?

Some fans online have begun speculating: Could this be in the original song category?

Quite possibly, if it adheres to all relevant rules and regulations! For 2027 Academy Awards consideration, a feature film 鈥� and its song submissions 鈥� must have a qualifying theatrical release between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31 this year. 鈥淭oy Story 5鈥� will be released in theaters worldwide on June 19, so it qualifies there.

It also depends on when 鈥淚 Knew It, I Knew You鈥� is placed in 鈥淭oy Story 5.鈥� this year: If the song plays over the end credits, it must also overlap with the last 15 seconds of the film before the credits actually begin.

At any rate, if Swift’s song is submitted 鈥� and if she were to win 鈥� she’d be just that much closer to an EGOT. and an Emmy. An Oscar would mean she’d only need a Tony. Could Broadway be next?