Alysa Liu Was Destined To Skate To PinkPantheress At The Olympics

Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu has been making history. On Thursday (Feb. 19) the 20-year-old won America's first gold medal in the Winter Olympics' women's free skating event since 2002. And she's got a second gold for the team event. In interviews, she's been expressing her love for PinkPantheress, and tonight she skated to the Zara Larsson remix of "Stateside" at the Olympic figure skating Exhibition Gala at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.

Earlier in the week, reporter Raymond Braun showed Liu a video of PinkPantheress giving her a message: "Alysa, lots of love, thank you so much for supporting me. I hope that you have a really good show. You are so inspiring and when I was younger I was obsessed with figure skaters so you are literally living my dream. Thank you so much for the love." Liu reacted by saying PinkPantheress is her favorite artist and that if she did the Olympic Gala she would skate to "Stateside."

Aside from her astounding skills, Liu has been a favorite in the media because of her authentic personality and alternative style, including halo hair and a smiley piercing. Her story is also endlessly inspiring: She retired from the sport at the age of 16 after her 2022 Olympic debut in Beijing due to burnout, and resumed two years later to continue pursuing her passion. She also offers good advice: "Don't try to be the next me."

In the singles competition she skated to Laufey's "Promise" in the short program and Laufey spoke about Liu's journey to gold onstage this week. The two know each other — last year Laufey awarded the skater "best dressed" at a San Francisco concert.

In her free skate segment, Liu used Donna Summer's 1978 chart-topper “MacArthur Park Suite” songwriter Jimmy Webb has congratulated her too. "Alysa Liu’s energy and youth breathes yet another life into my song 'MacArthur Park," Webb wrote on Facebook. "I am unbelievably proud to play some small role in her inspiration . I am so impressed with her demeanor, she makes America proud again. Congratulations on your gold medal, Alysa!" He shared a video message as well.

Watch Liu's "Stateside" (skateside) performance from tonight, which Larsson says gave her goosebumps:

She has earned a nap: