When the Kens take over Barbie Land, the song switches to "Push" by Matchbox Twenty.
This is referred to as Ken's "favorite song."
When "Push" was released in the '90s, the lyrics were misinterpreted and the song was considered anti-feminist. However, lead singer Rob Thomas cleared up the controversy in past interviews, explaining that the song was inspired by a toxic ex-girlfriend and the lyrics are about a person being emotionally pushed.
"It's not about beating women, that's for sure," Thomas told MTV. "In fact, in the song I turned around the point of view on it. It was actually about a relationship that I was in and how I was being manipulated. It was all about emotional manipulation and emotional violence."
In "Barbie," Gosling's Ken has mounting insecurities about not being loved by Stereotypical Barbie, which push him toward the patriarchy and a desire for control of Barbie Land (which becomes renamed as "Kendom").
Gerwig also told Indiewire that she loves the band.
"I will say there were many notes, many notes sessions on all fronts, but the thing is that anything that have in a movie, any reference — and we reference 'The Godfather,' Matchbox Twenty, Dave Matthews Band — I love all of it," she said. "I never put anything in a movie I don't love, and that's true. I don't really have use for things that I don't have affection for, within a movie. That was the core of it."
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