Ryan Gosling
New version of “Barbie” hit “I’m Just Ken”
Ryan Gosling in the music video for the original version of “I’m Just Ken”.
© YouTube/Warner Bros. DE
Ken wishes you a Merry Christmas: Ryan Gosling’s hit song “I’m Just Ken” from the “Barbie” film is now also available in the Christmas version.
2023 is the year of “Barbie” – and there is no end in sight for Christmas either. The soundtrack to the film with Margot Robbie (33) as Barbie and Ryan Gosling (43) as Ken resulted in numerous chart successes in the summer of 2023 – including the ballad “I’m Just Ken” sung by Gosling. The Hollywood star, together with music producer Mark Ronson (48), is now upping the ante and presenting the Christmas version of the hit. The record company Atlantic Records released it the music video for “I’m Just Ken (Merry Kristmas Barbie)” on her YouTube channel on Wednesday.
Ken sends Christmas greetings to Barbie
In the five-minute-long video, Gosling and Ronson can be seen together with other musicians in a recording studio decorated with colorful fairy lights. They can be heard discussing the song. Then, with the words “The world can have Ken’s voice, but only Barbie gets his eyes,” Gosling puts on a pair of sunglasses and starts playing. Nothing has changed in the Christmas version of the original lyrics, but the song has a Christmassy background with strings and castanets. Finally, a greeting goes out to Ken’s beloved: “Merry Christmas Barbie, wherever you are.”
The Christmas version was created relatively spontaneously, explains Ronson in an Instagram post. He sent the version to Gosling last week, who said: “Can we get this out in a week?” They then met in the studio and re-recorded Gosling’s vocals. “And here we are, a week later, giving you this version that we love about five days before no one wants to hear a Christmas song anymore,” Ronson jokes. “But sometimes you just have to do it for fun (and maybe a little for Barbie).”
The song is available on all streaming platforms along with two other versions: With “I’m Just Ken – In My Feelings Acoustic” Gosling and Ronson deliver a more soulful version of the song, and with “I’m Just Ken – Purple Disco Machine Remix” an electronic remake.