Taylor Swift Performs New Song, Duets with Randy Newman at Toy Story 5 Premiere

At the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Tuesday night, Taylor Swift did not simply walk a red carpet. She took the stage during the premiere of Toy Story 5 to deliver the first live performance of her original contribution to the film’s soundtrack, “I Knew It, I Knew You.” The piano version she chose strips the song of its countrified and acoustic counterparts, shaping it as a clear bid for year-end awards attention.

Swift then addressed the room, calling the film her favorite of the franchise and thanking Pixar’s directors Andrew Stanton and McKenna Harris. She singled out Joan Cusack’s performance as Jessie, noting, “it was an honor to write for her.”

The moment pivoted when she introduced Randy Newman as “the architect of the Toy Story musical universe.” Newman rolled onto the stage at his own piano, and the two eased into a duet of “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” Trading verses, they displayed an easy, mutual admiration. After Swift sang a line about not being the smartest, Newman interjected, “Nobody’s smarter than you.”

Toy Story 5 opens wide on June 19th. Swift’s appearance signals both a deepening connection to film music and a strategic move into a legacy franchise, with an original song built to linger well past the credits.