Taylor Swift doesn’t do many small shows, which is exactly why Saturday night in Los Angeles felt special. Closing out the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures’ sixth annual gala on October 17, Swift performed a short set with a full band for the first time since the Eras Tour, and she used it to debut one of her biggest hits live for the very first time.

Four songs, one big debut

According to Variety, Swift played four songs for the black-tie crowd:

  • “Blank Space” to open
  • “The Fate of Ophelia,” its first-ever live performance
  • “I Knew It, I Knew You,” her original song from Pixar’s Toy Story 5
  • “Love Story” to close

“The Fate of Ophelia” was released on October 3, 2025, which means fans waited more than a year to hear it live. Variety notes the song is expected to be a leading contender for record of the year and other categories at the 2027 Grammys.

“I Knew It, I Knew You” wasn’t a live debut. Swift has performed it at the Toy Story 5 premiere and a couple of other events, but this was her first time singing it with a full band. The song is in contention for the 2027 Oscars as well as several Grammy categories.

“Dancing is absolutely allowed”

Conan O’Brien, who is part of the Toy Story 5 cast, introduced Swift by calling it “an insane, unprecedented honor to introduce a cherished member of our little ‘Toy Story 5’ family,” adding, “She’s John, Paul, George and Ringo all in one.”

Swift, performing in a Ralph Lauren gown, encouraged the formally dressed crowd to loosen up. “Dancing is absolutely allowed,” she said. “It’s not mandatory, but it’s more fun.”

A familiar band with a twist

Swifties will have recognized some faces on stage. Variety reports the backing group included four singers plus guitar, bass, keyboards and drums, along with something not usually part of her touring setup: two saxophone players. Longtime guitarist Paul Sidoti wrote on Instagram that it was “great to be playing music with my onstage partner of 19 years for the first time since The Eras Tour.”

A star-studded night for film

The gala itself is one of Hollywood’s glitziest fundraisers. Page Six reports this year’s honorees were filmmaker and composer John Carpenter, actor Colman Domingo and Oscar winner Charlize Theron. The co-chairs included Tom Ford, Robert Rodriguez, Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw.

Swift arrived on the red carpet in a pale blue Dior gown before changing for her set. Variety notes she later posed for photos with guests including Toy Story 5 castmates Joan Cusack and Conan O’Brien, Sabrina Carpenter, Hannah Waddingham, and Dakota and Elle Fanning.

The Academy Museum had announced Swift’s performance in an October 8 press release, with museum director and president Amy Homma calling her “an extraordinary talent whose work resonates around the world.”

Why it matters

Swift has been largely off the regular performance circuit since the Eras Tour ended, so any live appearance draws attention. This one checked several boxes at once: a long-awaited live debut, a showcase for an awards-season contender at a major Hollywood film event, and a reminder of how quickly she can turn a gala into a concert.

The bottom line

Four songs isn’t a tour, but for fans who’ve been waiting to hear “The Fate of Ophelia” live, Saturday’s gala delivered. With awards season ramping up and her Toy Story 5 song in the Oscar conversation, this may not be the last time we see Swift on a Hollywood stage in the coming months.

Image: Crowd People by Anthony Delanoix via StockSnap, CC0 1.0