‘I’m Just Ken’ Co-Writer Mark Ronson Reveals The Song Was Nearly Cut From ‘Barbie’
Mark Ronson, co-writer and producer of I’m Just Ken, Ryan Gosling’s hit song from the Barbie soundtrack has revealed that it nearly didn’t make the final cut.
order ‘Barbie The Album’ here
“I thought, ‘God, I hope we don’t ruin it,’” Ronson told the Sunday Times Culture magazine, “At that first screening the song wasn’t working. I panicked. The humour wasn’t translating and Greta had to fight. The studio asked her how much she really needed it and she said, ‘With every inch of my body.’ And then there was a big swing.”
Ronson went on to discuss the thinking behind the song and the effect it’s had on young men. “Ken is ridiculous. But Greta’s point was that nobody should ever be laughing at a character. We feel their pain, as crazy as that sounds about a guy wearing a white mink and two pairs of sunglasses. I never wanted to write a song for a cheap laugh. You want something to get under people’s skin.
“I know I’ll sound like David Brent, but the song helped young boys. My friend’s eight year old got broken up with and he said, ‘It’s OK, because Ken got broken up with by Barbie.’
“The song tells boys that it’s OK to be runner-up. The internet’s caused a level of isolation in boys and this idea of male camaraderie and sharing your feelings is a nice and unexpected thing to come out of it.”
I’m Just Ken has been nominated for Best Original Song at this year’s Oscars, with Billie Eilish‘s What Was I Made For? also nominated. The ceremony will take place tonight (10 March).
Variety confirmed that Gosling will join Ronson onstage at the Academy Awards to perform the song but the Academy has declined to comment so far.