The US figure skater Amber Glenn said Tuesday that she has resolved copyright concerns with the Canadian recording artist Seb McKinnon after the musician expressed surprise that one of his songs appeared in her Olympic free skate program, closing a brief dispute that underscored the growing complexity of music rights in figure skating.
McKinnon, who releases music under the name CLANN, posted on social media after Glenn performed to his track The Return during the Olympic team event, questioning whether the music had been cleared. He later congratulated Glenn on her team gold medal, and both sides have since described the episode as a misunderstanding rather than a conflict.
“The issue of music rights can be complex and confusing, and it seems like there was a hiccup somewhere in that process,” Glenn said in a statement. “I’m glad we were able to clear things up and I’m excited about the possibility of collaborating with Seb moving forward.”
Glenn has performed to The Return for roughly two seasons without prior objections. It remains unclear where the breakdown occurred, though skaters typically rely on federations, event organizers and clearance processes recommended by the sport’s governing bodies to secure permissions.
The episode reflects a broader trend across figure skating, where athletes have increasingly encountered last-minute licensing complications as the sport has shifted toward contemporary music. Spanish skater Tomàs-Llorenç Guarino Sabaté faced a similar scare last week when music from the Minions franchise used in his short program was initially not cleared for Olympic competition. After a public push from fans and direct outreach, Universal Studios ultimately granted permission, allowing him to keep a routine he had built over months of competition.
Officials say the challenge stems from structural gaps in the music industry, where rights are often split across multiple holders and platforms, complicating clearance across global broadcast and streaming markets.
For Glenn, the copyright episode has unfolded during an Olympics where she has also become an unexpected focal point off the ice. The three-time US champion has spoken openly about LGBTQ+ rights and said she stepped back from social media after receiving what she described as a “scary amount” of hate messages and threats following pre-Games comments about pressures facing queer communities in the current US political climate.
While she called the backlash “disappointing”, she has continued skating with visible LGBTQ+ symbols on her team gear and said she sees her platform as part of the responsibility that comes with Olympic visibility.
Glenn is scheduled to compete next in the women’s singles event, beginning with the short program on 17 February, where she said her focus remains on performance rather than controversy.
