Glenn says she has smoothed out copyright concerns with the artist behind one of the pieces of her free skate music, and that the Olympic team gold medalist may...
The issue of copyright is a relatively new problem in figure skating, because for generations the only music that could be used was mostly part of the public domain.Amber Glenn of the United States competes during the figure skating women's team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb.
8, 2026.Canadian artist Seb McKinnon, who produces music under the name CLANN, had taken to social media after Glenn, a Plano native, performed her free skate to conclude the team event Sunday and expressed surprise that his song, “The Return,” was used as part of the program. “So just found out an Olympic figure skater used one of my songs without permission for their routine. It aired all over the world ... what? Is that usual practice for the Olympics?” Figure skaters are required to obtain copyright permission for the music they use. But the process is confusing and prone to mistakes, and several skaters at the Milan Cortina Games have had to change programs at the last minute because of it.Get the latest D-FW sports news, analysis and opinion delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, Kevin Sherrington's A La Carte.“The issue of music rights can be complex and confusing,” Glenn said in a statement. “Seems like there was a hiccup in that whole process. I’m glad we cleared things up with Seb and I look forward to collaborating with him.” It was not clear where the hiccup occurred. Glenn has been performing to “The Return” for the past two years without any issues. and to have Seb acknowledge my performance and congratulate me afterward made the moment even more special,” Glenn said. “It’s my sincere hope that I was able to help create new fans of both figure skating and Seb. We will move forward and continue supporting both artists and the skating community.” McKinnon, whose debut feature film will be released soon, said he was not trying to cause a controversy with his social media post. “There’s absolutely no hate on my side,” he said. “At the same time I just want to make sure the artist rights are respected.”The issue of copyright is a relatively new problem in figure skating, because for generations the only music that could be used was mostly part of the public domain. But when the International Skating Union relaxed its regulations in 2014 and athletes began using more modern music reflective of their own personality, some artists began to demand compensation for their work.The ISU has been working to help skaters avoid copyright problems, but several still have popped up during the Winter Games. to obtain approval for the music to his short program, set to a medley from the animated film “Minions.” Sabate had been performing the popular program all season, only to learn Universal Studios was poised to reject its use during the Winter Games. He got the final approval he needed last Friday. two days before the start of competition Tuesday night because he did not have the proper permission for music from “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer,” a psychological thriller. He pivoted to “Waltz 1805” by Edgar Hakobyan, for which Gumennik was able to get permission.As for Glenn, the three-time U.S. champion has become an unintentional lightning rod during the Olympics. An outspoken LGBTQ+ rights activist, Glenn said she has been receiving threats following a pre-Olympics press conference in which she said that the queer community is going through a “hard time” amid the political climate under President Donald Trump. “I was disappointed because I’ve never had so many people wish me harm before, just for being me and speaking about being decent — human rights and decency,” Glenn said Sunday night, wearing an LGBTQ+ pin on her team jacket during the team medal ceremony.Glenn spent most of Monday making the TV rounds with several of her teammates to celebrate their gold medals, the second straight for the Americans in the Olympic team event. Then she planned to head to a training camp outside of Milan to prepare for the women’s individual competition, which begins with the short program on Feb. 17. “For all of us first-time Olympians, you saw our nerves, and just getting them out,” Glenn said following the team event. “So I’m really grateful that I was able to have this opportunity ahead of the individual.”
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Amber Glenn wins Olympic gold with US figure skating team as song dispute ensuesAmber Glenn wins Olympic gold in the team event but faces backlash over her political and LGBTQ+ comments. On the same day, Canadian artist Sepp McKinnon objects to her use of his song 'The Return' in her free skate. McKinnon claims Glenn used the song without permission, sparking a copyright debate.
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US figure skater Amber Glenn faces backlash over politics and copyright issues after Olympic goldAmber Glenn wins Olympic gold in the team event but faces backlash over her political and LGBTQ+ comments.
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Olympic Figure Skater Amber Glenn Faces Backlash After Speaking Out on LGBTQ+ IssuesOpenly queer Olympic figure skater Amber Glenn received threats and hate after speaking about the challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community and politics during a press conference. She emphasized the importance of community support and vowed to continue using her platform to speak out on issues she believes in.
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US figure skater Amber Glenn resolves copyright issue with a Canadian music artist at the OlympicsU.S. figure skater Amber Glenn says she has resolved copyright concerns with Canadian artist Seb McKinnon over her free skate music.
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US figure skater Amber Glenn resolves copyright issue with a Canadian music artist at the OlympicsU.S. figure skater Amber Glenn says she has resolved copyright concerns with Canadian artist Seb McKinnon over her free skate music.
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US figure skater Amber Glenn resolves copyright issues with a Canadian music artist at the OlympicsFigure skaters must obtain copyright permission for their music, but the process can be confusing.
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