Taylor Swift to debut her first original song for an animated film in 'Toy Story 5'

Cryptic billboards, website countdowns, and cloud-themed teasers hinted at Swift’s Pixar collaboration
Taylor Swift revealed the new track for 'Toy Story 5' after an online countdown (Screengrab/@Disney/Pixar, Getty Images)
Taylor Swift revealed the new track for 'Toy Story 5' after an online countdown (Screengrab/@Disney/Pixar, Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Singer Taylor Swift officially announced a song for Disney and Pixar’s upcoming 'Toy Story 5' on Monday, June 1, marking her first-ever original song written and recorded for an animated feature film.

She revealed that the track, titled 'I Knew It, I Knew You,' will be released on Friday, June 5. The announcement came after days of fan speculation sparked by cryptic billboards, website countdowns, and themed online teasers linked to the highly anticipated animated film.

Taylor Swift announces first original song for 'Toy Story 5'

The announcement followed a countdown that appeared on Swift’s official website, featuring Jessie dancing on a roof and a billboard displaying only the letters “TS” alongside 13 fluffy white clouds. The countdown teased news arriving at 2 pm EST.

In an Instagram post, she shared details about the song and her involvement with the film. “It’s a Toy Story, You knew it! My new original song ‘I Knew It, I Knew You’ for Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 will be yours on June 5th,” she wrote, adding a cowboy hat emoji in a nod to the film’s Western-themed character Woody.

She further wrote, "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.”

A still from 'Toy Story 5' trailer (Cover Image Source: YouTube | @pixar)
A still from 'Toy Story 5' trailer (Screengrab/@pixar/YouTube)

She continued, “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? You can pre-order now exclusively on my site and catch Toy Story 5 in theaters June 19th."

The song marks Swift’s first new music release since her 2025 album 'The Life of a Showgirl' and reunites her with longtime collaborator and friend Jack Antonoff. Alongside the announcement, she shared a photograph of herself lying on grass surrounded by tulips.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 14: Taylor Swift seen in NoHo on May 14, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Aeon/GC Images)
Taylor Swift was seen in NoHo on May 14, 2026, in New York City (Aeon/GC Images) 

Andrew Stanton praises Taylor Swift as fans decode months of 'Toy Story 5' clues

Speaking about the new song, director and screenwriter Andrew Stanton praised Swift’s contribution in a press release. “It’s incredible just how meaningful it’s 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,” he said.

Stanton further explained the song’s significance to the film, adding, “The song is so deeply connected to ‘Toy Story.’ 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.”

Following the announcement, Swift’s website began offering three collector’s-edition CDs of the track, featuring unique vocals and production across the standard, piano, and acoustic versions. The limited-edition releases are available for 48 hours through Wednesday, June 3, or while supplies last. 

Musician Bad Bunny performs during the Apple Music halftime show at the NFL Super Bowl LX football game between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots at Levi Stadium on February 8, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)
Bad Bunny performs during the Apple Music halftime show at the NFL Super Bowl LX football game between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots at Levi Stadium on February 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, California (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)

Before Swift officially announced her involvement, Pixar had placed mysterious billboards featuring the letters “TS” and 13 white clouds in cities including Chicago, Los Angeles, and London.

The studio later shared an Instagram video of Jessie dancing in front of one of the billboards, accompanied by the caption, “She’s making those moves up as she goes,” a reference to a lyric from Swift’s 2014 hit “Shake It Off.”

Beyond her musical contribution, Disney recently revealed that Puerto Rican Rapper Bad Bunny will make a voice cameo in 'Toy Story 5' as Pizza with Sunglasses.

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