Barbie composer Mark Ronson revealed how he came up with “I’m Just Ken.” The musician stopped by The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon last night to talk about the movie’s whirlwind success. He actually shared that he had the idea for “I’m Just Ken” while he was walking around. Those words and “anywhere else I’d be a ten” were the first kernels of Barbie’s super-hit. From there, the producer assembled his songwriting partner and they got to work. Ronson actually supplied the rough vocal for the song in the early going. Fallon actually discovered that the composer still had the voice note on his phone and he played it for the crowd!
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“I knew nothing, I really didn’t,” Ronson revealed when asked about early Barbie conversations. “You know, we were asked to come in and write two songs, and I wrote ‘Dance the Night.’ That became “the” track. That’s the jam. So, I was just so inspired. I thought—Greta Gerwig is just so amazing. I love the script. And, so we wrote Ken. And then, we started to do a little bit more and more music for the film. We just loved it and we wanted to do the whole thing.”
“That’s what we were kind of hoping to do because Ken is like the character, and Ryan Gosling, who’s just so incredible in the film. He’s so ridiculous, but yet, you feel all his pain, I feel like,” he added. “So, I was walking down the street, and I don’t usually write lyrics. I usually come up with the music, but I just had that line. Like, ‘I’m just Ken, anywhere else I’d be a ten.’ You know? I just thought, this guy is so hot, but he can’t get what he needs in life, which is the love of this woman. So, I came up with that line, went to the piano and came up with some chords. Then, my brother Andrew, my songwriting partner, came over and we wrote the rest of the song.”
Ryan Gosling Performing At The Oscars
Ryan Gosling is the man who brought Ken to life and now he’ll be sharing that joy with the world. Variety reported that the Barbie star would be performing “I’m Just Ken” at The Oscars this year. It’s a big moment for the televised ceremony. Although Gosling’s song faces steep competition from other songs on the same project like “What Was I Made For” by Billie Eilish, the people demanded Ken and they’re going to get it. (It probably won’t hurt the ratings either because of the recent push to get viewership back in front of the TV.)
When Variety previously asked Gosling about performing, he remained coy about it. But, it’s clear this is a bit of dream for him and Ronson. “Well, I haven’t been invited. And I wasn’t thinking about it until now, and now it’s all I’m going to think about,” Gosling smirked during a lengthy profile. “Do you get paid to sing at the Oscars? Do you have to drive yourself? What kind of scratch is involved? They pick you up at least, right?”
Ronson Pushed For “I’m Just Ken” At The Oscars
For the Barbie producer, this is a whole lot to digest. From the sounds of things, his star singer is in the same boat. THR asked about how Gosling was adjusting to the adulation. Ronson told them that he’s just gobsmacked by all the love from people he’s never even met.
“He kind of feels like someone who doesn’t get caught up in the hype from the little bit that now I know about him,” Ronson shared, explaining that he would send Gosling updates on the milestones reached by “I’m Just Ken.” “Even he’d be like, ‘This is so surreal, I don’t even know what to tell you.’ I think he’s a real musician, he loves music, and I think he was really touched by that and like when Slash played on it, you know? So there’s certain things that he’s been really, I think, excited about.”
Are you excited to hear “I’m Just Ken” at The Oscars? Let us know down in the comments!
