This Ken is feeling festive.
From what it seems, Ryan Gosling and Mark Ronson are teaming up once again to release a holiday version of Gosling’s scene-stealing song “I’m Just Ken”.
The official Barbie page just dropped a delightful teaser video on their Instagram, which features actor Ryan Gosling and musician Mark Ronson. The dynamic duo, surrounded by the cozy glow of a Christmas tree in the studio, can be seen tinkering with the soundboard, cooking up what appears to be a yuletide rendition of Gosling’s iconic power ballad from the Barbie movie. The eagerly anticipated track, officially titled “I’m Just Ken (Merry Kristmas Barbie),” is scheduled for release on Wednesday (Dec. 20).
For Gosling, who portrayed Ken in the beloved blockbuster, this venture marks another musical milestone. The original version of “I’m Just Ken” catapulted him onto the Billboard Hot 100, entering the chart at No. 87 upon its release. Although this was Gosling’s first solo entry on the Hot 100, it wasn’t his inaugural appearance on the charts. Before this, he achieved chart success with “City of Stars” from the acclaimed 2016 film, La La Land. His solo rendition of the song reigned supreme for two weeks at No. 1 on the Jazz Digital Song Sales chart, while a duet version with co-star Emma Stone secured spots on the Hot 100’s Bubbling Under ranking and Digital Song Sales chart.
“I’m Just Ken” is the brainchild of Ronson, who not only served as the producer but also collaborated as a co-writer and co-producer alongside Andrew Wyatt. Adding a touch of rock flair to the mix, Guns N’ Roses legend Slash contributed his masterful guitar skills to the track.
As it stands, the soundtrack to Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie was met with critical and commercial acclaim –– even winning the Billboard Music Award for the Top Soundtrack just a few months back. Featuring Dua Lipa‘s and Billie Eilish‘s singles from the compilation, the soundtrack was also nominated for the Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media award for the 2024 Grammy Awards.
Listen to the Christmas version of Ryan Gosling’s “I’m Just Ken” below: