Slash and Wolfgang Van Halen Perform at the Oscars with Ryan Gosling

Publish Date
Tuesday, 12 March 2024, 11:30AM

Slash and Wolfgang Van Halen teamed up with Ryan Gosling for a show-stealing live performance of I’m Just Ken at last night's Oscars ceremony. 

The song, from the hugely successful motion picture Barbie, was nominated for Best Original Song at the event. Producer Mark Ronson, who was also part of the night's ensemble performance, wrote the song alongside Andrew Wyatt, with Slash and Wolfgang Van Halen (Eddie Van Halen’s son) each contributing guitar to the track.

Ronson, who is famous for producing songs like ‘Uptown Funk ft Bruno Mars’ and ‘Nothing Breaks like a Heart ft Miley Cyrus’, reached out to his hero, Slash -

"I sent him the song and he was like, 'This is a good song,'" Ronson said. "I [didn't] know Slash that well before this, and he was like, 'Cool, I'll play on it.' And he was so cool. He killed it. He plays the solo at the end and the rhythm parts. It's wonderful."

Ronson also reached out to Van Halen, who excitedly joined the project.

"My buddy Mark Ronson hit me up earlier this year needing my 'mammoth guitar sound' and I happily obliged," Wolfgang explained via social media. "If anyone is curious about specifics, I have a lot of textural stuff throughout the film with two major spots where I do some soloing. One in particular is pretty cool because it's the big song that Ryan Gosling sings and Slash plays on it as well!" He also noted "a specific moment in this song that's only in the movie where l've got this fun solo with some tapping and stuff."

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