I’m on record—and the right side of history—in saying Ryan Gosling’s “I’m Just Ken” power ballad in Barbie is one of the greatest moments in movie history. It’s the gift that keeps on giving and always will. Now it has, somehow, given us even more. Gosling and song composers Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt just gifted us a surprise present ahead of the holidays. They’ve released Ken the EP, a special album with multiple versions of “I’m Just Ken.” And the EP’s “Merry Kristmas Barbie” also has its own amazing music video.
“I’m Just Ken” is no longer Kenough to round out your favorite playlist. Ken the EP (which we first heard about at The Hollywood Reporter) features four tracks from Gosling and Ronson. It has the original version of the song from the film and a new “Merry Kristmas Barbie” recording. It also has an “In My Feelings” acoustic rendition of the Kenergy-filled ballad. And the last song is a “Purple Disco Machine Remix” of Gosling’s “I’m Just Ken.” Each offers a very different way to enjoy the song, which sounds fantastic in any style.
We didn’t need proof of that, but we’re obviously very glad we have it.
Ken the EP is available to stream everywhere. Atlantic Records also shared the “I’m Just Ken (In My Feelings)” version on YouTube. That’s also where you’ll find another amazing gift.
The official video for “I’m Just Ken (Merry Kristmas Barbie)” is not everything you’d want from Gosling giving an over-the-top performance of a holiday rendition of the song in a studio with a full band. It’s even hammy-ier than that.
That music video exists in the same universe as La La Land, and you can’t convince me otherwise. That means Seb is now officially a Ken.
More importantly, I now have a new Christmas song to listen to 10,000 times every December. It will replace the 10,000 times I would have listened to the regular version of “I’m Just Ken” during the month.
