Show Caption
Looks like it's officially a Tay Story.Taylor Swift's mysterious countdown reached zero on June 1 with the reveal of an original song titled "I Knew It, I Knew You." The single will be released June 5.The singer's online store unveiled 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 is priced at $3.99 and available through June 3 while supplies last.Taylor Swift announced a brand-new single, "I Knew It, I Knew You," from "Toy Story 5" on her website June 1 after a three hour countdown that expired at 2 p.m. ET. The song represents a return to Swift's country music roots.The singer's homepage featured a cartoon-style scene with a farmhouse and barn, the fan-favorite cowgirl cartoon Jessie appears inside. At the end of the countdown, three cds popped up for fans to buy: the single, an acoustic version of the single and a piano version. The cds were priced at $3.99.Taylor Swift's 'Toy Story' speculation, explainedThe theories began April 30 when Swift's website briefly displayed a countdown featuring "Toy Story"-style clouds and a yellow timer. The countdown remained visible for roughly 10 minutes before disappearing and pointed to May 2, prompting widespread fan speculation that an announcement was imminent.No announcement ever materialized, and Swift's team did not respond to emails requesting comment from USA TODAY.On May 29, Swifties spotted billboards in Chicago, London and Dallas featuring the franchise's signature blue-sky backdrop and the letters "TS" − initials shared by both Taylor Swift and "Toy Story." The background featured 13 white clouds, a number long associated with Swift."Toy Story 5" director Andrew Stanton addressed the rumors during an interview at Pixar headquarters. Stanton, along with co-director McKenna Harris and producer Lindsey Collins, was asked about fan speculation linking Swift to the film."It surprised us. What a freakin' honor," Stanton said of the online speculation sparked by Swift's website countdown and the "Toy Story"-style imagery.Collins added, "It would be pretty amazing."Stanton then pushed back on one of the biggest theories, saying Swift is not performing the film's ending song."The sad truth is we watched the movie being mixed last week and the song on the end was not Taylor Swift," he said.While Stanton specifically addressed the theory that Swift performs the movie's ending song, he did not comment on broader speculation about a potential collaboration.A couple days later, the movie's production company released an Instagram Reel directly tying the singer to the fifth installment in the franchise.The post featured the cowgirl character Jessie dancing to Swift's "Shake It Off," including a caption referencing one of the singer's biggest hits: "She's making those moves up as she goes!"What would a movie collaboration mean?A "Toy Story 5" collaboration would also carry potential awards-season implications.Swift already owns 14 Grammys.An original song written for a major animated film could put her back in the conversation for an Academy Award, one of the few major honors she has yet to win.Industry observers have long speculated about Swift's pursuit of EGOT status — the achievement of winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award.Her soundtrack credits include "Crazier" for "Hannah Montana: The Movie," "Today Was a Fairytale" for "Valentine's Day," "Safe & Sound" and "Eyes Open" for "The Hunger Games," "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" for "Fifty Shades Darker," "Beautiful Ghosts" for "Cats" and "Carolina" for "Where the Crawdads Sing." "Beautiful Ghosts" earned a Golden Globe nomination, while "Safe & Sound" won a Grammy for best song written for visual media.(This story will be updated when more information is revealed.)
