Ryan Gosling “ken not wait” to ring in the holidays with a new Christmas version of his Barbie anthem.
Gosling’s spouse, Eva Mendes, gave fans a preview of “I’m Just Ken (Merry Kristmas Barbie)” via Instagram on Monday, December 18. In the short clip, Gosling, 43, stands next to Mark Ronson – who produced the Barbie soundtrack – in a music studio while swelling symphonic music plays.
As they listen, Gosling leans in and raises the volume on a track labeled “KEN,” and it becomes clear that this is a kringle version of “I’m Just Ken,” Gosling’s big musical number from Barbie. Ronson, 48, isn’t too happy with someone messing with his soundboard, even if it’s a star from the year’s biggest film. The “Uptown Funk” cocreator returns Gosling’s vocals to normal, prompting Ryan to raise them to the red again.
Ronson attempts to restore Gosling’s vocals to a reasonable level, but it becomes a battle that the producer doesn’t feel like fighting. “You handle this, Ken,” says Ronson as he exits the studio. As for how the final mix sounds, “I’m Just Ken (Merry Kristmas Barbie)” arrives on Wednesday, December 20.
“I’m Not Ken” earned Gosling his first song on the Billboard Hot 100. The song reached No. 87 in August. Gosling, who was part of the rock duo Dead Man’s Bones, previously charted on Billboard’s Jazz and Jazz Digital Song Sales Chart with “City of Stars” from 2016’s La La Land. That song, however, didn’t crack the Hot 100.
In addition to being a Billboard hit, “I’m Just Ken” netted a Best Original Song nomination at the 81st annual Golden Globes. It’ll compete against Bruce Springsteen’s “Addicted to Romance” from She Came To Me; “Peaches,” the song Jack Black performed for The Super Mario Bros. Movie; and two other cuts from the Barbie soundtrack — Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” and Dua Lipa’s disco swansong “Dance The Night.”
A similar showdown will happen at the 66th annual Grammy Awards. “What Was I Made For?,” “Dance The Night” and “I’m Just Ken” are nominated for Best Song Written for Visual Media,” along with Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice’s “Barbie World.” The only non-Barbie song in the category is Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
