Ryan Gosling's 'I'm Just Ken' EP is Arguably Unnecessary, Yet Thoroughly Delightful

Esther Zuckerman
·2 min read
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Samir Hussein

Did you love Ryan Gosling's big number "I'm Just Ken" from Barbie, but find yourself thinking, "You know what this needs? A bunch more remixes"? Well, you're in luck. Ryan Gosling has just released Ken The EP. Lest you think this means new passionate ballads from our beloved himbo, that is not the case. It's actually just "I'm Just Ken" plus three remixes of "I'm Just Ken."

"I'm Just Ken—Merry Kristmas Barbie" is "I'm Just Ken" plus Christmassy chimes and bells. The lyrics remain the same, but the vibe is a little more seasonal, and at the end Gosling intones, "Merry Christmas, Barbie, wherever you are."

Then there's "I'm Just Ken—In My Feelings Acoustic," which strips down the tune to give it a folky aesthetic that might be more at home on the Inside Llewyn Davis soundtrack, or maybe the Mojo Dojo Casa House Stage at some hypothetical 2023 Lilith Fair. He also wishes Barbie a merry Christmas on that one, oddly. And, finally, we've got "I'm Just Ken—Purple Disco Machine Remix," which is, again, basically "I'm Just Ken," but for the club.

This all indicates two things: Gosling is clearly still relishing his Ken status, and he's throwing down the gauntlet in his Oscar campaign. Are you going to release an EP of remixes of Lewis Strauss' congressional testimony, Robert Downey Jr.? I think not.

In addition to Gosling's supporting actor bid, "I'm Just Ken" is likely to be a key player this awards season. Tomorrow morning the Academy will announce the shortlists for 10 categories, including Best Original Song. "I'm Just Ken," which has already gotten Grammy and Golden Globes nominations, is likely a shoo-in, but it has competition from the other Barbie numbers, Dua Lipa's "Dance the Night" and "What Was I Made For?" by Billie Eilish, who won last year for her James Bond song “No Time to Die.” Will Gosling's commitment to the bit put him over the top? Or is this perhaps just a wedding present from the Baby Goose to Barbie screenwriters Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach?

Whatever the reason Gosling gifted us with this music, all we can say for sure is that it slaps.

Originally Appeared on GQ