Musical Magic Behind ‘I’m Just Ken’: Mark Ronson Reveals The Genesis Of Barbie’s Iconic Song
In a surprising twist that’s sure to leave fans of the iconic Barbie franchise talking, music producer Mark Ronson has spilled the beans on the creation of the unforgettable I’m Just Ken scene in the hit film Barbie.
Mark, a name synonymous with musical genius, recently shared the secret origins of the “I’m Just Ken” song that has captured the hearts of millions as he recounted how this song, which is now associated with an epic showdown, began as a modest idea.
“It went from being this song that was maybe gonna be played somewhere in the film to this song that they built this epic battle around,” he said.
According to Mark, director Greta Gerwig, a visionary in her own right, approached him to compose a track for Ken. With his finger on the pulse of the character, he knew exactly what the Ken song should be.
“Greta’s like, ‘We love that song — actually, can you make it longer?’ ” Ronson remembered. And so, the process began of turning a simple melody into an 11-minute masterpiece.
The I’m Just Ken sequence, a clash of Kens led by Gosling and Simu Liu, starts on the beach and transitions into a dreamy ’80s dance sequence, a juxtaposition that adds layers of depth to the film, according to Greta.
In a heartfelt confession, Greta admitted that part of her inspiration for this sequence came from “the absurdity of” the battle “between the toy soldiers and the rats” in The Nutcracker ballet. According to her, it’s a classic tale she cherished from her childhood.
Ryan, a versatile actor with an impressive musical resume, likened the sequence to “the telephone game from the real world.”
What’s truly remarkable is that the actor was not content with just lending his voice to the song – he wanted to perform it on-screen as well, showing his dedication to the project. Mark said he was initially concerned about how Greta would react to the song, fearing she might think he was “trying to provide the funny.” However, Greta not only loved it but also rewrote a pivotal scene to ensure the film could embody the ballad better.
Once Ryan hit the recording booth, Ronson discovered that the actor was a “vocal powerhouse.” ““He really got [that] it had to walk this line of not being funny or parody. But obviously, the song is also kind of ridiculous at times. So he was really amazing, and when he really did start hitting the big notes, I was like, ‘This dude is a vocal powerhouse!’ ” he stated.
