Ryan Gosling gifts new version of ‘I’m Just Ken’ for Christmas

Bee Delores
Ryan Gosling in Barbie with arms raised

Actor Ryan Gosling teased a brand new Christmas-style version of his hit song “I’m Just Ken” from the Barbie soundtrack.

Thanks to a star-turning performance as Ken in Barbie, Ryan Gosling became synonymous with Kenergy. “Anywhere else I’d be a 10,” he laments in the show-stopping “I’m Just Ken” musical number.

As a dance-off against the other kens, Gosling’s plastic plaything proudly dazzles with some fancy footwork to the pulsing beat in a Grease-meets-Westside-Story sort of way.

Ahead of Christmas, Gosling readies a brand new version of the song, expected in full on December 20.

Ryan Gosling holding hands with other men
Ryan Gosling performs ‘I’m Just Ken’ in Barbie

Ryan Gosling teases a new version of “I’m Just Ken”

In a brand new teaser, Ryan Gosling can be seen working in the studio with none other than Mark Ronson, who’s produced for everyone from Lady Gaga to Dua Lipa and Bruno Mars. Ronson also produced the original version of the song.

A new rendition of “I’m Just Ken” plays in the background. Noticeably, Ronson bulks up the performance with even bigger drums, different backing vocals, and a spirited Christmas sensibility. “So, hey, world, check me out, I’m just Ken,” sings Gosling.

As Ronson bends over the console, the actor tinkers with various faders and dials, as a way to treat the listener to the song’s revamped style and tone. “You handle this, Ken,” Ronson quips.

On working with Gosling, Ronson previously told Entertainment Weekly, “We hadn’t met before, we just went into the studio and talked about music. As he started to get warmed up, I was like, ‘Oh my god, this guy is gonna murder this song.’ And of course, he would. He’s Ken. Who would understand this song better than him.”

In August 2023, “I’m Just Ken” bowed at No. 87 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has since amassed 95 million streams on Spotify. The accompanying Barbie soundtrack made a No. 2 bow on the Billboard 200 and scored other hits like Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night.”

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About The Author

Bee is a former music writer at Dexerto. Bee has been working in the digital media space for a decade. Their work can be found in American Songwriter, Billboard, and Grammy.com.