Ronson said the pair have also spoken about working together in the future
Mark Ronson and Ryan Gosling – CREDIT: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association
Mark Ronson has said he “would love to make more music” with Ryan Gosling following their recent success with ‘I’m Just Ken’ on the Barbie soundtrack.
The song, which is sung by Gosling, recently won a Critics Choice Award ahead of entries from the likes of Dua Lipa and Billie Eilish. The song has also been nominated for ‘Best Original Song’ at the upcoming Academy Awards and a Grammy in the category of Best Song Written For Visual Media.
In a new interview with Billboard, Ronson opened up about his desire to work with Gosling again, especially after their recent collaboration on a Christmas version of the hit song.
He explained: “We definitely had a lot of fun, especially making the Christmas version that we did, because we had made that record and then I, the first one, I recorded a vocal with him. And then I probably hadn’t spoken to him for about a year till the movie was wrapping up. And I was like, ‘Hey, we finished the version actually, Slash is playing on it, I just want to make sure you’re happy with it before we mix it’. And he really loved it.
“And then we started to talk over the past couple of months, and we’re just talking about different kinds of music and things that he loved and Scott Walker and this stuff, and I was like, ‘Well, we should do a version of ‘Ken’ that just does something a little different, like a different arrangement.’ Because, you know, there was a lot of talk like the ’80s power ballad and this, and I mean, it has all those things, but I think some of my pride as a songwriter, I wanted to prove that it wasn’t just that.
“So Ryan…he’s got amazing taste and great ideas, and he’s an extremely funny and talented musician and singer. So we made this version and then we started to hang, and definitely, I would love to make more music. You know, I think it would be great. And we’ve talked about it a little bit,” he said, hinting that they could team up again in the future.
Upon its first release, ‘I’m Just Ken’ was the soundtrack’s breakout hit, and went on to earn the actor a spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
Ronson has previously opened up about the making of the soundtrack, and explained that Gosling claimed the song was one that “speaks to him very deeply”. The track also featured as one of NME‘s top songs of 2023.
Other artists to feature on the star-studded soundtrack for Barbie included Dua Lipa with ‘Dance The Night’, Charli XCX with ‘Speed Drive’, Sam Smith with ‘Man I Am’, and ‘Barbie World’ with Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice.
Following the release of Barbie back in July, the film was given a glistening five-star review by NME, who praised Gosling as stealing the limelight with his comical performance.
“It’s Gosling who’ll end up as your favourite toy. With his hair dyed bright blonde, denim-dominated wardrobe, impossibly sculpted arms and chosen hobby of “beach”, he lands somewhere between David Hasselhoff and Britney-era Justin Timberlake,” it read.
