Mark Ronson reveals what inspired him to write ‘I’m Just Ken’ for ‘Barbie’

The executive music producer of the Barbie movie soundtrack, Mark Ronson was a little apprehensive at first when he came up with the song, I’m Just Ken.

The song, which is sung by Ryan Gosling in the movie, sounds off like a rock ballad, playing a pivotal part in the Greta Gerwig-directed movie.

On his inspiration for the song, Ronson told Vanity Fair in an interview, that he fell in love with the character which pressed a sympathy out of him.

“You really fall in love with this hapless, but immediately sympathetic figure,” Ronson said of Ken. “I instantly had this idea for this lyric: ‘I’m just Ken / Anywhere else I’d be a 10.’ It just seemed funny. It felt a little bit emo, like, this poor guy. He’s so hot, but can’t get the time of day.”

Elsewhere in the interview, the seven-time Grammy-winning musician revealed that he did not think that the song would be received so well by the Gerwig that she will rewrite a critical scene to include the song.

Moreover, when Ronson first wrote the lyric “Is it my destiny to live and die a life of blond fragility?” he wasn’t imagining that Gosling would be singing the song.

Upon hearing the song, the La La Land actor also loved the idea and insisted to turn it into an emotional ballad.

Moreover, Ronson also featured his “all-time hero” Slash and new Foo Fighters drummer Josh Freese to play on the track.

In a recently released sneak peek of the movie, Gosling exhibits his impressive vocals as he belts out the song, also landing his comedic timing impeccably.

“I'm just Ken,” Gosling serenades as the Ken to Margot Robbie’s Barbie in the preview. “Where I see love, she sees a friend. What will it take for her to see the man behind the tan and fight for me?”