Taylor Swift reflects on writing the song 'I Knew It, I Knew You' for the Toy Story 5 soundtrack and her return to country radio.
Key facts
- •Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff co-wrote the song "I Knew It, I Knew You" for the Toy Story 5 soundtrack.
- •Swift performed "You’ve Got a Friend in Me" with Randy Newman at the film's premiere in June.
- •The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Hot Country Songs chart.
- •The track was the first by a woman to be added by every station reporting to Mediabase in its first week.
- •Swift reportedly met with country radio programmers to preview the song prior to its release.
Taylor Swift recently discussed her contribution to the Toy Story 5 soundtrack, a country single titled "I Knew It, I Knew You" that she co-wrote with Jack Antonoff. Swift stated she aimed to honor the legacy of composer Randy Newman, whose musical style influenced the song's creation. The track marks a return to the country genre for the artist.
Collaborating and Channeling Newman
Swift expressed a deep appreciation for Randy Newman’s work, noting that she and Antonoff attempted to incorporate his distinct chord progressions and musical sensibilities into their writing process. During the film's premiere in June, Swift performed Newman’s classic "You’ve Got a Friend in Me" alongside the composer, with the two sharing vocal duties.
Success on Country Radio
The single achieved significant success on country radio, topping the Hot Country Songs chart and reaching number eight on the Country Airplay chart. It also reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The song made history as the first by a female artist to be added by every country radio station reporting to Mediabase during its first week of impact.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Rolling Stone.
