Why Lainey Wilson Had a ‘Barbie Moment’ Before the Grammys

Why Lainey Wilson Had a ‘Barbie Moment’ Before the Grammys

Lainey Wilson might seem like a pretty unlikely candidate to sing Ryan Gosling’s part in a rendition of “I’m Just Ken” from Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie, but that’s exactly what happened at Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy gala on Saturday night (Feb. 3).

The country singer took the stage alongside guitarist Mark Ronson, singing a gender-swapped version of the song from Ken’s perspective. She even wore a white fur coat for her performance, nodding to the coat that Ken — played by Ryan Gosling — plays in the movie.

Ronson wrote the song along with Andrew Wyatt, who was also onstage at the Clive Davis gala performing “I’m Just Ken” with Wilson. The song became a worldwide sensation after the Barbie movie came out in 2023, and it was a contender for Best Song Written for Visual Media category going into the awards show.

It’s also a passionate homage to the experience of being second choice — and that’s fitting for Wilson’s performance, since she wasn’t originally the person who was supposed to perform it at the gala.

According to EW, event host Clive Davis explained the performance lineup before it took place, saying from the stage that he originally hoped Gosling, Ronson and Wyatt would perform it together.

But Gosling wasn’t able to make it — and so Wilson stepped in for an unconventional, but heartfelt performance of “I’m Just Ken.”

Wilson teased her appearance onstage in a series of outfit closeups she posted to social media before the gallery. “Having a Barbie moment,” she wrote in the caption of her post. That same night, she also performed with Jelly Roll, her duet partner for the Grammy-nominated hit “Save Me.”

On Sunday, while walking the red carpet before the 2024 Grammy Awards, Wilson gushed about the unexpected and exciting situations where she’s found herself over the course of her first-ever Grammys week.

“It has been wild. I mean, the rooms that I’ve ben able to just be in, with people from all different walks of life,” she tells CBS Mornings on the red carpet.

“I was in a room last night with [pop legend] Cher at the Clive Davis event,” she adds. “It could not get crazier.”

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Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes

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