Mark Ronson Talks About Life with Grace Gummer and Their Daughter: 'My Family Is My Anchor' (Exclusive)

Ronson — who presented at the Grammys with his mother-in-law, Meryl Streep — became a dad last year

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Published on February 22, 2024 09:15AM EST

Mark Ronson and Grace Gummer at the 66th Annual GRAMMY Awards held at Crypto.com Arena on February 4, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. — Mark Ronson and Grace Gummer at the Grammys in February 2024. Photo:
Gilbert Flores/Billboard via Getty

Mark Ronson is opening up about his private world.

Long before moviegoers heard Ryan Gosling belt out “I’m Just Ken” in Barbie, the power ballad’s songwriter-producer, Ronson gave his daughter a first listen.

“She was born in the middle of making [the soundtrack],” Ronson, 48, says in the new issue of PEOPLE of his 1-year-old daughter (whose name he’s keeping private) with his wife, actress Grace Gummer, 37. “Her first time in a recording studio was when we were doing the final mix on ‘I’m Just Ken,’ and I was walking her back and forth, listening at a much more reasonable volume than I usually would be.”

So far this awards season, Ronson — who executive produced Barbie: The Album — has won a Critics Choice Award and a Grammy for his work on the soundtrack, and he's also up for the Best Original Song Oscar for "I'm Just Ken."

Mark Ronson and Grace Gummer attend the World Premiere of "Barbie" at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on July 09, 2023 in Los Angeles, California — Mark Ronson and Grace Gummer at the 'Barbie' premiere in July 2023.
Jon Kopaloff/Getty

But "Ken" isn't his daughter's favorite track.

"My mom has a record player in the house, and we were listening to the vinyl. 'What Was I Made For?' came on, and you could tell — something about Billie’s voice and how bewitching that song is, she kind of went into a bit of a trance," Ronson says. "I sent Billie a video, like, 'Look what you’re out here doing to these kids.'"

Ronson has been a go-to hitmaker for A-listers since he worked on Amy Winehouse's acclaimed 2006 debut, Back to Black. But since becoming a father, his priorities have shifted a bit.

Mark Ronson-Wife-Instagram — Mark Ronson instagram with his wife Grace.
Mark Ronson/Instagram

"The most important thing is being around for her, so I've never had that — I mean, obviously with my wife too, I love her; I never want to be apart from her for more than a day if I don't have to be," Ronson says. "I have to be away sometimes to go write music and do whatever I have to do. But it's like once you have the child too, it really truly does just become everything that is now the most important thing."

And his success is all the sweeter because of his happy home life.

“My family is my anchor,” he says. “For everything, they’re at the forethought of every single decision I make.”

For more from Mark Ronson, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere Friday.