Taylor Swift returned to the stage at the Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles, performing four songs, including the live debut of ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ and her Toy Story 5 track ‘I Knew It, I Knew You’.
Taylor Swift made a memorable return to the stage at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala on Saturday, October 17, performing ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ live for the first time. The singer treated a star-studded audience in Los Angeles to a four-song set that brought together some of her biggest hits and newer music.
Held at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the annual event honoured prominent figures from the film industry while raising funds for the museum’s programmes.
Taylor Swift Gives ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ Its Live Debut
Swift was introduced by comedian Conan O’Brien, who praised her remarkable musical success by comparing her to all four members of The Beatles.
Calling her “John, Paul, George, and Ringo all in one”, O’Brien welcomed the singer to the stage before she opened her performance with ‘Blank Space’.
The evening’s defining moment came when Swift introduced ‘The Fate of Ophelia’, a track from her album The Life of a Showgirl.
“This song, which we are playing for the very first time for you beautiful people, this is called ‘The Fate of Ophelia,'” Swift told the audience.
It was the first time she had performed the song live, giving guests at the gala an opportunity to witness its stage debut.
Swift followed the performance with ‘I Knew It, I Knew You’, her original contribution to Toy Story 5, before closing the set with ‘Love Story’.
The four-song performance offered a mix of familiar favourites and recent releases without the elaborate staging associated with her stadium concerts.
Taylor Swift Performs Toy Story 5 Song Ahead of Oscars Season
Alongside the debut of ‘The Fate of Ophelia’, Swift’s performance of ‘I Knew It, I Knew You’ brought attention to her involvement with Toy Story 5.
The original song has placed Swift in the conversation surrounding the upcoming Academy Awards season. Her decision to perform it at an event attended by leading figures from Hollywood was especially relevant given the gala’s connection to the film industry.
The Academy Museum Gala took place shortly before the Oscars voting season, providing a prominent setting for the song.
However, this was not the first live performance of ‘I Knew It, I Knew You’. Swift had previously debuted the track at the Toy Story 5 premiere in Los Angeles.
Her Academy Museum appearance also followed performances at events associated with the Grammy and Emmy awards in August.
Since wrapping up The Eras Tour in December 2024, Swift has made only a handful of live appearances, making Saturday’s performance another notable addition to her post-tour schedule.
Taylor Swift’s Full Setlist at Academy Museum Gala 2026
Swift performed four songs during the evening, opening with ‘Blank Space’ and ending with ‘Love Story’.
The complete setlist included:
- Blank Space
- The Fate of Ophelia
- I Knew It, I Knew You
- Love Story
The selection brought together songs from different stages of Swift’s career, while placing particular attention on her newer material.
Taylor Swift Turns Heads in Custom Dior Gown
Before taking the stage, Swift made an appearance on the gala’s red carpet wearing a custom ice-blue Dior gown designed by Jonathan Anderson.
The pleated silk dress featured a jewelled bow and was paired with diamond earrings and a bracelet from Chopard’s Haute Joaillerie Collection.
For her performance, Swift changed into a midnight-purple sequined strapless dress. Photographs from the event showed her performing with an acoustic guitar alongside her band.
She was also photographed embracing fellow singer Sabrina Carpenter during the evening, which brought together several well-known names from music and cinema.
Academy Museum Gala Raises $14 Million, Honours Charlize Theron and Colman Domingo
While Swift’s performance attracted attention, the 2026 Academy Museum Gala was primarily organised to celebrate contributions to cinema and support the museum’s work.
The event honoured three prominent figures from the film industry. Charlize Theron received the Icon Award, Colman Domingo was presented with the Vantage Award, and director John Carpenter was recognised with the Luminary Award.
The gala raised $14 million to support the Academy Museum’s exhibitions, educational activities and public programming.
Tom Ford, filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw served as co-chairs of the event, which was co-sponsored by Rolex.
The guest list included Andrew Garfield, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Ananya Panday, Ana de Armas, Demi Moore, Sabrina Carpenter, Amanda Seyfried, Colman Farrell, Kim Kardashian and several other prominent entertainment personalities.
Academy Museum president and director Amy Homma had earlier welcomed Swift’s participation, praising her influence across the entertainment industry.
“Taylor is an extraordinary talent whose work resonates around the world,” Homma said in a statement.
“We are thrilled to welcome her to this year’s gala and look forward to her performance to close a wonderful evening of honoring three extraordinary filmmakers and supporting the Academy Museum’s mission to celebrate and preserve cinema.”
A Rare Live Appearance After The Eras Tour
Swift’s appearance at the Academy Museum Gala came nearly two years after The Eras Tour concluded in December 2024.
Although she has continued to make occasional live appearances, her performance schedule has remained considerably lighter than during the tour.
Saturday’s set was also notable for bringing together her recent album material and her growing involvement in film-related projects.
Beyond contributing music to Toy Story 5, Swift has been linked to a feature-length directorial debut announced in 2022. However, details about when the project will begin production or reach audiences remain unconfirmed.
For fans, the standout moment of the Academy Museum Gala was the first live performance of ‘The Fate of Ophelia’. For Swift, the evening provided another opportunity to perform her latest music while celebrating the film industry.
With ‘Love Story’ bringing the four-song set to a close, the singer left the gala audience with a combination of nostalgia and a first taste of her newer music on stage.
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