American figure skater Amber Glenn experienced a dream moment ahead of her crucial Olympic short program at the Milan Cortina Games on Tuesday night. The athlete, who performed her routine to Madonna's iconic track "Like a Prayer," received an extraordinary video message from the "Queen of Pop" herself, wishing her luck in the individual competition.
An Unexpected Boost from a Music Legend
Madonna had reportedly seen a clip of Glenn performing to her classic song, making this gesture particularly meaningful for the skater. In the heartfelt video message, Madonna expressed her admiration for Glenn's performance, stating, "I have to tell you, I was blown away by it. You are an incredible skater. So strong, so beautiful, so brave. I can't imagine that you would not win. So I just want to say good luck. Go get that gold."
Glenn's Emotional Reaction
The American skater covered her mouth in sheer surprise while watching the unexpected message. "I'm in shock. I'm in complete shock," Glenn revealed. "I'm legitimately shaking. Oh my God." In her response to Madonna, Glenn expressed profound gratitude, saying, "You are an icon and a legend forever, and thank you for supporting athletes in their artistic ventures, and I hope I can do the song justice. Thank you."
Celebrity Support for the "Blade Angels"
Madonna isn't the only major celebrity showing support for Glenn and her teammates Alysa Liu and Isabeau Levito, who have collectively dubbed themselves the "Blade Angels." Pop superstar Taylor Swift also contributed her voice to an NBC promotional spot highlighting the talented trio of American skaters.
Music Rights Challenges at the Olympics
The issue of music rights has emerged as a significant problem for figure skaters during the Milan Cortina Olympic Games. Several athletes faced last-minute scrambles to secure proper approval for their program music, with some competitors even being forced to completely change their planned routines.
Glenn herself encountered music rights complications with her free skate program, which is set to "The Return" by musician Seb McKinnon, who produces under the name CLANN. McKinnon expressed surprise upon hearing his composition during Glenn's performance in the team competition, which contributed to the United States winning the gold medal.
The musician initially noted that Glenn lacked proper permission to use the track, despite it being part of her program for the previous two years. However, the two parties managed to resolve the situation amicably through a phone conversation a few days later.
Resolution and Mutual Respect
"I'm very honored that Amber chose my music for her routine, won gold no less!" McKinnon stated. "I'm happy things were resolved amicably and that we both stand for the protection of artist rights."
Interestingly, Glenn had been questioned about music rights issues just before the Olympics began. At that time, she remarked with characteristic humor, "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."
Ultimately, Glenn achieved the best of both worlds—receiving Madonna's enthusiastic blessing rather than rejection, while also resolving the rights issue with McKinnon through respectful dialogue and mutual understanding.
