Barbie’s “I’m Just Ken” Wins 2024 Critics Choice Award for Best Song

Well, you can’t call him “just” Ken anymore, as Ryan Gosling’s beloved Barbie character can now add Critics Choice Award Winner to his title. On Sunday night, the Critics Choice Awards aired on The CW and recognized the best in film and television from throughout 2023. Barbie was obviously poised to be a big player on the night, as it has been at several different awards shows over the past couple of months. One such award the film was up for on Sunday night was Best Song, with three original songs nominated for the same category.

The odds were in favor of Barbie for the Best Song award, and the ballad “I’m Just Ken” was the one that actually walked away the victor. Performed by Ryan Gosling in the movie, “I’m Just Ken” provided one of the biggest moments in all of Barbie as Gosling’s character tried to share his feelings about existing beside Barbie while also in the middle of a Ken Civil War.

Barbie‘s other Best Song nominees included Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night” and Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” “Peaches” from The Super Mario Bros. Movie was also nominated in the category, along with “Road to Freedom” from Rustin and “This Wish” from Disney’s Wish.

Ryan Gosling on Performing at the Oscars

Traditionally, all of the songs nominated for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards are performed live during the show. The Oscar nominations haven’t been announced yet, but there is a lot of optimism that “I’m Just Ken” will be nominated there as well.

Should the song earn an Academy Award nomination, everyone will hope to see Gosling perform it live on stage. When asked about the possibility recently, Gosling said he hadn’t been asked yet, which makes sense given that the nominations haven’t been released. 

“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 told W Magazine. “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?” 

Are you glad to see “I’m Just Ken” getting some love this awards season? Do you think the song will get a win at the Oscars as well? Let us know in the comments!