MILAN – Alysa Liu, fresh off winning the United States’ first Olympic gold medal in women’s figure skating since 2002, captivated audiences at the 2026 Olympic Exhibition Gala in Milan on Saturday with a performance set to PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson’s remix of “Stateside.” The routine, lauded by Larsson herself on TikTok – who commented, “You know it’s good when the commentators are quiet” – underscored a burgeoning connection between the 20-year-old skater and the British pop artist.
Liu’s affinity for PinkPantheress extends beyond a single performance. Earlier this month, when asked by Pitchfork to name her “Perfect 10” album, Liu selected PinkPantheress’s 2023 release, Heaven Knows, explaining that the music “gets me hyped up, and it gets me in the zone…it’s just very inspiring.” PinkPantheress reciprocated the sentiment, responding with a message expressing her own lifelong admiration for figure skating and calling Liu “literally living my dream.”
The “Stateside” routine was foreshadowed earlier this week after reporter Raymond Braun shared PinkPantheress’s message of support with Liu. Liu promptly declared PinkPantheress her favorite artist and confirmed her intention to skate to the remix should she perform at the Gala. This isn’t the first instance of Liu integrating her musical tastes into high-stakes competitions; her gold-medal-winning free skate was performed to Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park Suite,” while her short program featured Laufey’s “Promise.”
The “Stateside” remix itself originates from PinkPantheress’s 2025 album, Fancy Some More?, a project that saw the artist collaborate with a diverse range of musicians including Jade, Oklou, Ravyn Lenae, and Nia Archives, and draw inspiration from artists like Sugababes, Basement Jaxx, and Kylie Minogue, according to Pitchfork. The album served as a companion piece to her critically acclaimed sophomore album, Fancy That.
Saturday’s Exhibition Gala, as described by Olympian Mariah Bell, offered skaters a less constrained platform, free from the rigid rules and regulations of competitive programs. Skaters were permitted to perform to music of their choosing, for any duration, and in costumes reflecting their personal style, as reported by NBC Chicago. Liu’s performance, described as “flirty and fierce,” featured a recent bedazzled dark blue dress and matching choker.
PinkPantheress reacted to a video of Liu’s performance on social media, simply stating, “UGH SHES SO FABBBB,” as reported by NME. The extent to which this collaboration will extend beyond the Gala remains unclear.
