American figure skating star Amber Glenn has added another achievement to her career, winning the gold medal with Team USA in the figure skating team event at the Milan Winter Olympics. This achievement, however, was marred by controversy, as she was publicly called out by Canadian musician Seb McKinnon for using his music in her program without his permission.
Glenn used McKinnon’s song, “The Return,” during the free skate segment of the figure skating team event, where she recorded 138.62 points to place third, helping Team USA to secure crucial points.
Amber Glenn and Seb McKinnon’s Music Issue
For two years, Glenn skated to McKinnon’s 2015 track without incident, while McKinnon remained in the dark about its worldwide exposure. Navigating music rights in figure skating is rarely simple, as seen when Spanish skater Tomàs-Llorenç Guarino Sabaté faced hurdles over his Minions-themed routine before finally securing permission, underscoring the tangled web of permissions in the sport.
Glenn and McKinnon appear to have resolved the issue amicably now, though, with Glenn saying:
“Sometimes new friendships start in unexpected ways. I discovered Seb McKinnon’s music two years ago and felt a deep connection to it. The issue of music rights can be complex and confusing; 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 a dream come true to perform at the Olympic Games, and to have Seb acknowledge my performance and congratulate me afterward made the moment even more special.”
“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.”
With the dispute now behind them, Glenn is set to take the ice once more in the women’s singles free skate on Thursday, February 19, performing again to McKinnon’s evocative music.
McKinnon’s Response to Glenn
After the issue had been resolved, McKinnon responded to Glenn’s comments, expressing his support for the figure skater. On X, he wrote that he was ‘honored’ that Glenn chose his song for her routine, and that he is ‘looking forward’ to watching her compete with his music again. He also added that they both ‘stand for the protection of artists’ rights’.
McKinnon produces his music under the label Clann. The Canadian’s deal with the label required his personal approval for use of the track.
