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(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
TONYA MOSLEY, HOST:
That is FRESH AIR. I am Tonya Mosley. For those who’ve seen the most well-liked film of final 12 months, there isn’t any denying it. this tune.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “I’M JUST KEN”)
RYAN GOSLING: (As Ken, singing) ‘Trigger I am simply Ken. Wherever else, I might be a ten. Is it my future to reside and die a lifetime of blond fragility?
MOSLEY: The music “I am Simply Ken” from the film “Barbie” is up this 12 months for a Grammy Award and an Oscar. It is written by Mark Ronson, who’s the co-executive producer of the rating and soundtrack for the fantasy-comedy movie, which follows Ken and Barbie as they depart Barbie Land and enter the true world. It was directed by Greta Gerwig and co-written by Gerwig and Noah Baumbach. “Barbie” is nominated for eight Academy Awards, together with greatest image, supporting actor and actress, tailored screenplay, manufacturing design, costume design and twice for authentic songs “I am Simply Ken” and “What Was I Made For?” “Barbie” can be nominated for 11 Grammys, together with for document of the 12 months and music of the 12 months, in addition to greatest music and greatest rating soundtrack.
Mark Ronson, who’s an Oscar-winning music producer, was tapped by Greta Gerwig to supply the soundtrack. He is identified for his work as a DJ and document producer and songwriter, creating get together hits, pop songs and soulful preparations for stars like Amy Winehouse, Girl Gaga, Adele and Bruno Mars. However consider it or not, even with all of his credentials, Ronson misplaced a number of sleep over Gerwig’s request. Even earlier than Barbie got here out, critics had been forecasting that it was destined to be one of many highest-grossing movies so far. It was additionally the primary time Ronson had created a soundtrack of this scope and dimension. What adopted was a 12 months of conceptualizing, producing, and composing songs for the album with artists like Nicki Minaj, Sam Smith, Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa and PinkPantheress. Ronson is the co-executive producer of “Barbie The Album” and the rating, which he co-wrote and produced with Andrew Wyatt. I spoke with him in September.
One of many first songs you labored on for this soundtrack is “I am Simply Ken,” sung by Ryan Gosling, who performs Ken. Let’s hear.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “I’M JUST KEN”)
GOSLING: (As Ken, singing) Would not appear to matter what I do. I am all the time No. 2. Nobody is aware of how onerous I attempted. Oh, I’ve emotions that I am unable to clarify driving me insane. All my life, been so well mannered. However I will sleep alone tonight ‘trigger I am simply Ken. Wherever else, I might be a ten. Is it my future to reside and die a lifetime of blond fragility? I am simply Ken.
MOSLEY: That was “I am Simply Ken” from the “Barbie” film soundtrack. Mark, you wrote these lyrics, however you are not often a lyrics man, proper?
MARK RONSON: I am not. , once you’re working with completely different artists as a producer, your job is all the time simply to fill any gap that is wanted. However I work with a number of good lyricists – folks like Amy Winehouse, clearly, Adele and Girl Gaga. And typically you are simply there to supply the music, to bounce concepts, to be an editor, simply to do the preparations typically. However I really like developing with a lyric or serving to somebody after they’re, like, slightly blocked to fill a gap right here and there. However that is probably not the factor that I begin with. However I used to be so impressed by this script and Greta and her imaginative and prescient. I simply – I really like the entire message of it. I really like the entire thought of it. Clearly, Barbie’s story is so fantastic. After which Ken’s story that is happening on the aspect about this man – like, and perhaps it was as a result of I knew Ryan Gosling was enjoying it, so I had the benefit of picturing him saying each line as I am studying this script. However he simply obtained his hooks in me, that character, you recognize? And he is dopey, however you root for him. And, you recognize, all he desires is only for this individual to really feel the identical manner about him that he feels about her, and it is by no means going to occur.
So I simply – I had this line. I feel I used to be strolling to the studio at some point, my studio in Manhattan. And I simply – I am simply Ken. Wherever else, I might be a ten. It simply got here to me, and I used to be like, that sort of seems like one thing to begin a refrain from, you recognize? I wasn’t even pondering at that time, I’ll write this music on my own or write the lyrics. And I obtained to the piano, and I simply was working. I discovered the chords and a melody that I believed was good. And all you possibly can ever inform is, is it making you excited once you’re within the studio, you recognize? And I despatched off the demo to Greta, and he or she simply wrote again so enthusiastically.
MOSLEY: I agree with you about Ken’s storyline particularly. It was a shock for me. In fact, we all know that Ken can be part of the film. However the richness and the layering of his character – and this music particularly provides one other dimension to it. Once I was within the movie show watching it and the road blonde fragility got here up, it was like, oh, wait. These lyrics are literally sort of deep. And also you got here up with that lyric as properly.
RONSON: Yeah. That is all I had once I was writing the refrain. It was, I am simply Ken. Wherever else, I might be a ten. And I sort of mumbled the remaining and – (vocalizing). And all my – I feel it was – all my blonde fragility was the unique lyric. However I sort of mumbled that lyric as properly as a result of it was, like, perhaps taking a bit an excessive amount of license to – like, I had simply met Greta and Noah. I did not need them to assume, like, I am attempting to be the – present the humorous or the factor. Like, you guys are the genius writers. Like, let me simply provide you with a music. However she was like, are you mumbling? Is there one thing about blonde fragility? And, you recognize, after all it was a nod to “White Fragility,” the ebook, like, all the pieces. And I – however I simply – it simply felt proper. After which we wrote the remainder of the refrain, Andrew and I, collectively.
MOSLEY: Gosling positively introduced your lyrics to life. And I learn that once you had been within the studio with Bradley Cooper for the music “Shallow” for “A Star Is Born,” you warmed him as much as sing with pop tunes. What did you do with Ryan Gosling within the studio?
RONSON: , it is awkward being with anybody within the studio for the very first time as a result of it is a weak place. And, you recognize, you are about to go on this – embark on this factor, and you feel one another out. And as a producer, you are seeing what any individual’s, you recognize, vocal vary is and their limits. And also you all the time wish to push them however then not push too far as a result of in the event you’re pushing somebody to a spot, to a variety they do not have, then you possibly can shatter their confidence. After which the entire session is, like, a wash.
So – after which add to the truth that Ryan is, you recognize, a large film star, and he is coming in right here on his, like, one hour off from capturing this big movie. And he got here into the studio, and we simply talked for a short while. And quarter-hour in, we’re like, OK, ought to we do this? And to start with, as a result of Andrew sung on the demo and he has such a tremendous vary, I simply thought, OK, let me make this slightly bit simpler for Ryan. We will decrease it a key or two and simply begin there. After which as Ryan simply began to get warmed up, I used to be like, OK, we may sort of bump this up one other key. Oh, and now we will bump it up, and now we’re within the authentic key, and he is simply giving this excellent vocal efficiency.
And likewise, as a result of he is simply such an unimaginable actor, he is imbuing all these phrases with even a distinct context and emotion than what Andrew and I had even been ready so as to add to it, as a result of he’s Ken. And he was nearly performing out the music as he was singing in a manner that was like, oh – I do not know if that is true, nevertheless it felt like he was inhabiting the music, which was actually fantastic. And I may hear it in what was coming again via the speaker.
MOSLEY: Let’s take a brief break. For those who’re simply becoming a member of us, I am speaking with Grammy Award-winning music producer Mark Ronson. He is the manager producer of the soundtrack for “Barbie The Album.” We’ll proceed our dialog after a brief break. That is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “OOH WEE”)
NATE DOGG: (Singing) Ooh, wee. Ooh, wee. La, la, la, la. La, la, la, la, la, la. Ooh, wee. Ooh, wee. La, la, la, la. La, la, la, la, la, la. Ooh, wee. Ooh, wee. La, la, la, la. La, la, la, la, la, la.
MOSLEY: That is FRESH AIR, and at the moment we’re speaking to Grammy Award-winning music producer Mark Ronson. His newest work is as government producer of the soundtrack for “Barbie,” the summer time hit directed by Greta Gerwig and written by Gerwig and Noah Baumbach. Ronson additionally composed the movie rating with Andrew Wyatt.
OK, so when Greta Gerwig contacted you, you had been mainly like, I am an enormous fan; after all, I am on board, which sort of made me stunned once I learn that it wasn’t precisely a slam dunk that you just’d get each artist you wished for this soundtrack. You needed to truly do some maneuvering, calling up buddies and buddies of buddies.
RONSON: I feel lots of people positively simply got here to the desk on the premise of Greta and the movies that she’s made earlier than. And, you recognize, actually within the case of Billie Eilish and PinkPantheress, that was the case. Some folks got here as a result of Barbie was essential to them and figured of their lives, and that was folks like Karol G. Then what we needed to do was present everyone a chunk of the movie. And what we did was, you recognize, as a result of this was nonetheless early on, Greta was nonetheless enhancing the movie, we might present perhaps 20 minutes of the movie, simply completely different scenes, sufficient so folks may get the sense of the movie and the tone and the arc.
After which Greta and I had hung out earlier than deciding the place we might love a Sam Smith music to go, the place we might love a PinkPantheress music to go, and get to point out them particularly the scene. And that is what’s so nice about a number of the songs that individuals wrote, as a result of they appear so bespoke – the way in which that Charlie wrote “Pace Drive” for, you recognize, a chase scene/via Mattel places of work/automobile chase. I feel that what’s nice is that typically you take heed to it and you are like, what got here first, the songs or the movie? It has this good, interwoven factor. Each artist took what they noticed, took the dialog with Greta, and simply turned it into – you recognize, everybody ran with it and did one thing completely different.
MOSLEY: The music “What Was I Made For?”, sung by Billie Eilish, I feel director Greta Gerwig calls it the glittery, pink coronary heart on the middle of the movie. It actually does get to the guts of Barbie’s predicament, which is mainly what occurs when the world turns in opposition to you. Let’s hear.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WHAT WAS I MADE FOR?”)
BILLIE EILISH: (Singing) I used to drift, now I simply fall down. I used to know, however I am unsure now what I used to be made for. What was I made for? Taking a drive, I used to be a great – seemed so alive, seems I am not actual, simply one thing you paid for. What was I made for? ‘Trigger I do not know tips on how to really feel, however I wish to attempt. I do not know tips on how to really feel.
MOSLEY: That was “What Was I Made For?”, written by Billie and Finneas Eilish. And it’s such an essential storytelling gadget on this film, Mark. What was your response once you first heard it?
RONSON: Greta and I, I feel we obtained it on the similar time, like, a textual content thread or one thing. I feel we simply instantly known as one another. We’re like, what’s – this music is simply insane. Like, what’s – I used to be mainly like, what’s improper with these children? Why are they so good? They’re so younger, like, you recognize, like…
MOSLEY: (Laughter).
RONSON: , particularly when it obtained to that lyric, like, it isn’t what he is made for, like, about, like, the way in which that it type of applies to the movie and could possibly be – apply to many issues prefer it, you recognize? And so Andrew and I had been engaged on a number of items for the rating, for the extra emotional moments. And a few of them, oddly sufficient, weren’t actually that dissimilar to what Billie and Finneas’ music was. So there have been moments once we had been like, wow, let’s take this music and make their music this thread that we weave via the movie. And so we had been attempting to give you one thing for some time, some chords and a few rating. And we had been like, let’s simply discover a strategy to mix these two concepts and ideas, that Billie and Finneas music combined with what we had already been doing.
MOSLEY: Are you able to briefly describe the variations between writing a music and making a musical rating? As a result of this was a part of this mission that was completely different and new for you.
RONSON: So completely different. And, you recognize, a number of my instincts as a songwriter, once you’re making a pop music, you are continuously pondering of hooks and melodies and ear sweet and secondary hooks and tertiary hooks and stuff like that. And actually, scores, typically, after all you wish to have memorable melodies and issues, however you actually additionally have to get out the way in which. You may’t be a distraction. You are there to assist the emotional undertow of the movie at that second, particularly when there’s dialogue or an essential scene happening. And, you recognize, I really like movie scores a lot, like, all the pieces from the plain John Williams and John Barry and Danny Elfman to, you recognize, the ’80s scores like Dave Grusin and stuff like that. Like, I really like these soundtracks. I’ve all the time collected them. However we might by no means finished something like that.
MOSLEY: I wish to play a chunk from the rating. It is known as “Mattel,” which performed each time there was a scene with executives at Mattel. Let’s hear.
(SOUNDBITE OF MARK RONSON AND ANDREW WYATT’S “MATTEL”)
MOSLEY: Man, I’m a sucker for a very good rating. That was the music “Mattel” from “Barbie The Rating.” Mark, for many who have not seen the film, the entire Mattel executives are males, and it feels apt that the music harkens sort of to these inexperienced little Military males that boys used to play with. It is very army in its sound. What was the method for locating that sort of layering that strengthens the storyline with out perhaps being too on the nostril with it?
RONSON: Yeah. I feel we began off, as you’d say, slightly bit on the nostril. And we had nearly scored “Mattel” on this extra, like, Demise Star, “Star Wars,” simply the extra apparent manner that it might be to attain type of ominous. After which Noah had such an excellent thought, and he was, like are you able to give them type of slightly bit extra of like this false the Aristocracy, however they’re nonetheless sort of bumbling idiots? And so we considered turning the string motif from the Dua Lipa music, which is a motif that comes again in – you recognize, all through the film. The strings that go, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. Like, wow, what if we put that on this marching band, nevertheless it sounds a bit extra like a highschool marching band? Or, you recognize, we’re clearly all the time so – school college marching bands. Like, I feel it is Grambling State and all those and, like, Beyonce makes use of…
MOSLEY: Oh, yeah. These are…
RONSON: …That stuff…
MOSLEY: Yeah.
RONSON: …And “Lose Your self.”
MOSLEY: Yeah. Yeah.
RONSON: And it is so impactful. And, you recognize, simply me, ‘trigger having my background as a hip-hop DJ, you recognize, these sort of sounds and stuff, I am all the time pondering, OK, we’re doing a rating, however I am unable to assist it. These influences are going to creep in.
MOSLEY: Earlier than this chance, was it an aspiration so that you can rating a movie?
RONSON: I am certain it was. , I do not assume it was one thing that I’d have ever put my hand up and say, like, I might like to attain “Barbie,” you recognize? I feel the way in which that it unfolded was so fortunate. Pay attention, I imply, that is certainly one of – now one of many greatest movies of all time. I do not know if anyone on the very high of this factor would have been like, yeah, let’s simply threat all of it on some guys which have by no means scored a movie earlier than. I feel that we type of proved ourselves in all probability alongside the way in which sufficient, however I do not know if we’ll rating one other movie as a result of we had been so spoiled. I imply, that is a loopy factor to say, however we had been so impressed on this. Let’s simply say that.
MOSLEY: Yeah. Yeah. , I imply, once I’m listening to you, I am additionally listening to one thing else. Like, it feels so good and exhilarating and perhaps, like, life-affirming to be sort of new at one thing once more, like, to make use of the abilities you have already got to, like, then do one thing even larger and extra expansive with different elements that, like, you are contributing your half to.
RONSON: Oh, that is the perfect. I really like that. Like, if I ever felt like I used to be going to cease studying, that is the opposite factor. Like, you recognize, throughout the movie, whilst loopy as our schedule was, I began taking piano classes once more. I began taking music principle classes once more. I used to be like, I need to have the ability to know precisely what the orchestra notation is to those issues. I do not wish to simply be, you recognize, sort of coasting by on my ear, like, so – sure. And now I am actually going to – you recognize, now I am truly actually going deep into, like, again to high school. However I really like that. I really like being – A, the thrill of studying one thing new, B, the humbling of it. It is simply – it is the perfect.
MOSLEY: Mark Ronson, I actually loved this dialog. Thanks a lot for becoming a member of us.
RONSON: Thanks. Thanks for having me. Thanks a lot.
MOSLEY: Mark Ronson is the manager producer of “Barbie The Album,” which he wrote and produced with Andrew Wyatt. Developing, a assessment in regards to the new FX sequence “Feud,” about Truman Capote and the socialite girls he each befriended and betrayed. That is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
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