Taylor Swift has released her song for the soundtrack of the upcoming Toy Story 5 sequel, and fans are divided over the track. The megastar previously said she wrote the song immediately after attending an early screening of the film, having fallen 'instantly in love with Toy Story 5' in its early stages. After the song hit streaming platforms on Friday, Swift took to social media to share her thoughts on the track and the emotion behind its lyrics.
Swift posted a message as the single was released, accompanied by vintage home video footage of herself as a little girl, marching in a red cowgirl hat and a shirt embroidered with boots. She wrote: 'Writing 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. And being a @toystory kid from the age of five til now … is an adventure I plan to be on, to infinity and beyond.'
She continued, 'Thank you to the brilliant Andrew Stanton for imagining me for this, all those years ago when you wrote this newest film. Thank you to the incomparable @randynewmanofficial 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. By we, I mean myself and my pal @jackantonoff. 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.'
Fan Reactions Divided
Fans rushed to social media to share their thoughts on the new song, but opinions appeared sharply divided. One enthusiast wrote, 'OMG Taylor this is everything!!! That baby Taylor in the cowboy hat is PEAK nostalgia I knew it was coming the second I heard the country twang I Knew It, I Knew You for Toy Story 5 is pure magic. Jessie would be so proud. Can't wait to cry in the theatre.'
Another fan remarked, 'From a 5-year-old in a cowgirl hat to writing an official track for Toy Story 5 … this is the ultimate full-circle moment.' A third added, 'Taylor Swift making a song for Toy Story 5 was not on my 2026 bingo card, but now grown adults are about to cry harder than the kids watching it.'
However, others hit back at the star, claiming the song was merely a 'cash grab.' One critic tweeted, 'Another nostalgia cash-grab yeah? 'I Knew It, I Knew You' sounds like a lazy title flip of Gracie Abrams' 'I Knew It, I Know You' and now we're supposed to pretend this forced country 'return' for a Pixar movie isn't just Oscar bait and merch sales. Toy Story deserved better.' Another commented, 'There's no way this is getting an Oscar nomination!'
The release comes as Swift is reportedly sending out invitations for her forthcoming wedding to Travis Kelce.
