By JAMES ELLINGWORTH, AP Sports Writer
MILAN (AP) — It’s the message no figure skater wants to get. At any time, an email could block them from using the music they’ve built their Olympic programs around.
As the skating world grapples with a music standoff involving the lovable, mischievous Minions, U.S. champion Amber Glenn is gripped by “this Minions saga.”
It’s a relatable problem for any skater, and Glenn has a promise to keep.
“I told people they were going to see the Minions at the Olympics. I don’t want to be a liar,” she said Wednesday.
Amber Glenn reacts after competing during the women’s short program at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Music rights for a single song can be split between numerous artists, companies and other figures. Being a top-level skater means trying their best to secure permission and then hoping there’s no last-minute objections.
“We have tried our hardest to get everything clear, do what we can, and honestly, a producer could just decide, ‘Hey, never mind, no,’” Glenn said.
“I’m honestly just seeing, from what avenues I have available to me, that it is clear and then I’m just hoping and praying that I don’t get an email saying, ‘By the way, they reached out and they said they don’t want you to use it.’ So I think it’s been a very strenuous process for many of us.”
Spanish skater Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate’s Minion problem is especially complex because his short program is a medley of four different songs from the franchise. He has three of the four cleared as of Wednesday and is working on permission from Pharrell Williams for the fourth, Glenn said.
Glenn says she’s happy to leave it to her team to ask permission for music. Her U.S. teammate, men’s gold medal contender Ilia Malinin, tries a personal touch.
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“It’s something that we all worry about, and for me especially, I like to make really unique pieces of music that I skate to,” Malinin said. “I like to reach out to the artist directly and try that as an option. Most of the time it works out in my favor. Especially this year, everyone was so hopeful and so supportive.”
Glenn skates her short program to “Like A Prayer” by Madonna, so even an objection could make her day, she joked.
“If I do get a message from Madonna saying she doesn’t want me to skate to her music, I’ll just be excited to get a message from Madonna,” she said. “But let’s hope that doesn’t happen.”
AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
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