The Noteworthiest Programs of 2024-25

It was a figure skating season of Disco and Dune…Beyonce and Bizet… Summer and Stravinsky… Riverdance and, um, (checks notes) Robots? Yes, robots.

In 2024-25 the elite skating was so many things: (Paint it) Black and Blue (Planet)... Four Seasons and five “takes” (aka Take Five)...

Both a “Whiter Shade of Pale” and, somehow, “I’m Not a Vampire” (see what I did there)...

Yes, this pre-Olympic season gave us everything from Abba and “Adios” to Tony Bennett and “Tosca”. Which is not to say there weren’t additional artists and tracks used further down the alphabet– just that it’s early May, and I want to get this post completed already.

There was a lot out there, as there always is, but what skating music choices and/or programs were NOTEWORTHY? As the one who maintains the blog on skating music you’re currently reading… I have a few ideas.

There is no particular order for this noteworthiness; only a general statement that I’m aiming for only POSITIVE vibes on this list. There was as much to poke fun at this season as most others, and I probably did my share on social media as well. But not here. (With one possible exception. You’ll know it when you see it.)

Let’s get to the list, shall we?

NOTE: I’m embedding clips as usual, and will credit them, but… clips disappear sometimes, as you know. If you see an “empty” clip, please let me know in the comments. Thanks!

FAVORITE “HELL”-ISH SHORT PROGRAM: Andrew Torgashev (USA)

I believe it was USA’s resident Pizza King that brought the French track “L’Enfer” (Hell in English) to the ice in the 2023-24 season… therefore he’s likely the one who inspired at least two other “Hellish” SPs this season courtesy of Davide Lewton Brain and Nika Egadze.

But call it second-time-around seasoning, call it Shae-Lynn Bourne’s riveting choreography, call it good old American bias (except, no)... but the OG “L’Enfer” continued to engage me more than any other incarnation.

(For more about Stromae, the artist behind “L’Enfer,” please take a look at my U.S. Champs Class of ‘25 post.)

FAVORITE DUNE PROGRAM: Olivia Smart/Tim Dieck (ESP)

Hey, did you know that music from Dune and Dune: Part Two was immensely popular for elite figure skaters this season? (You’re not living in a vacuum, right? So of course you knew that.)

In fact, no less than FIVE such programs turned up at the recent World Championships. Still, it was fairly easy to choose my personal favorite… and when I ran a poll about this on Blue Sky a few months back, many were in agreement. From the mesmerizing choreographic touches of Romain Haguenauer and Marie France-Dubreuil, to the built-in extra storytelling component of ice dance (the other Dune programs were all done by singles skaters), to THAT COSTUME of Olivia Smart’s (designed by Madison Chock), everything about the Smart/Dieck free dance was exquisite. Is it any wonder they made such a meteoric rise this season (19th at Worlds last year to 6th this year)?

FAVORITE CHOICE FROM MY PERSONAL WISH LIST, PT. 1: “This Time,” Amber Glenn (USA)

Although I’ve never shared my personal skate music wish list here (but it’ll be my next State of the SkateMUSIC post! Stay tuned!), I’m one of those skaters/fans who carry a little jukebox in my head at all times– who hears a track once, sees some choreo instantly in my mind’s eye, and tucks the title away for safekeeping. 

“This Time”-- a deep cut (never released as a single) from Janet Jackson’s 1993 album Janet, was on that list. With its pulsing beat, growling lyrics, and deep-dish drama (those operatic runs by Kathleen Battle!), how could it miss?  Kudos to Glenn for putting her fierce stamp on it for her 2024-25 short program  (with choreography by Kaitlyn Weaver and Randi Strong).

FAVORITE CHOICE FROM MY PERSONAL WISH LIST, PT. 2: “Objection (Tango),” Josephine Lee (USA)

As a Senior Nationals athlete assigned to the Junior GP circuit this past season (a frequent happening with younger competitors), Lee didn’t have nearly the exposure of Starr Andrews, Sarah Everhardt, or Elyce Lin-Gracey. But she did have this banger of a short program– a Shakira track from 2002 that slinks from Argentine tango steps to surf rock/new wave with undeniable ease (always reminding me of B52’s “Rock Lobster” at the instrumental break). And with Kaitlyn Weaver on the choreo side again (hmm, I’m seeing a pattern), young Ms. Lee looks like she’s having a blast here. And I bet it would look even better if she keeps it for the 2025-26 season (HINT!).

MOST INSPIRED CHOICES: Sonja Hilmer (USA)’s Viking-themed FS

This performance is far from the best she delivered this season, but it IS one where you can still hear all her music cuts (more on that momentarily)! Those cuts are:

“Earth Melodies” (Ekaterina Shelehova)

“Forest Dance” (Filip Lackovic)

“Conjuring Storms” (Shelehova)

“Savage Daughter” (Shelehova)

“If I Had a Heart” by The Bass Gang (featuring Ekaterina Shelehova) 

I put Hilmer on this list not only because of her theme and music choices, but also her choreographic flair (she did this program and many others) and costuming (which is also her own design)-- a total creative package! Hilmer finished 9th at the 2025 U.S. Nationals.

MOST INSPIRED CHOICES: Tomoki Hiwatashi (USA)’s Rurouni Kenshin FS

Ready for an ironic twist? You won’t get to hear most of the music that helped make Hiwatashi’s program so unique, thanks to licensing fees that USFS isn’t able/willing to pay (for YouTube to carry footage of Midwestern Sectionals– there is U.S. Nationals practice footage of him too, but it is also devoid of this music). 

This is an ongoing, multi-layered problem for figure skating that we’re bound to hear about in spades this upcoming Olympic season… and which I’m considering examining here on the SkateMUSIC blog during the off-season. 

If that sounds like something you’d be interested in reading, please speak up! There’s a lot to unpack there, and I may not bother writing it up unless there is an audience for it. 

ANYWAY, the important thing to know here is that Hiwatashi’s program is centered around a Manga series known as Rurouni Kenshin. Without the music, some saw the tuxedo costume and thought he’d done a James Bond program. 

What a great reason for us to celebrate the originality that Hiwatashi brought us this season– whether you can hear the music cuts or not! 

“Fight or Flight” by Ryan Shore is the only cut I can identify, near the program’s end. 

MOST INSPIRED CHOICES: Lari Naki Gutmann(ITA)’s Squid Game SP

Sure, many skaters have turned to music from The Hunger Games to live out their hit dystopian thriller program fantasies. But how about selecting music from a hit dystopian thriller from South Korea, from this decade? So far, that task has fallen only to Italy’s Lari Naki Gutmann, who gathered fans in previous seasons with her Hitchcock-themed FS and likely gathered even more with her eclectic Squid Game SP. With choreo by Stephane Lambiel, and a costume paying homage to the official Korean logo for the show, Gutmann took us on an adventure ride every time she brought the program to life. And it was especially fun to see her achieve personal best scores with it at World Team Trophy. 

MOST INSPIRED CHOICES, LATE-SEASON BONUS EDITION: Ilia Malinin’s Worlds Gala Tribute skate to “To Build A Home”

This is one of those pieces of 21st-century contemporary music that you might feel like you’ve heard everywhere– not just in skating, but TV programs, advertisements, and films… and there’s good reason for that. But to watch Malinin (who choreographed this himself) take a humble warhorse-in-training and transform it into such an impassioned tribute to the lives lost in the January 29th plane crash was nothing short of stunning. Simply watching him hold that back edge (like a plane in flight) and then drop lifelessly to the ice in an instant… with the lyrics “And now it’s time to leave/And turn to dust” as the backdrop… damn. 

I’d say “To Build A Home” (by The Cinematic Orchestra) needs to be retired from the sport after Malinin’s masterful take on it, but we all know that won’t happen. Let’s at least hope other athletes and choreographers will carry along a bit of the reverence earned by this interpretation.

FAVORITE PROGRAM UTILIZING TWO VERSIONS OF THE SAME SONG: “Personal Jesus,” Andre Nordeback (SWE)

Like Andrew Torgashev, Sweden’s national champ Nordeback stuck with his previous year’s SP in 2024-25. And who can blame him? David Wilson created a gem of a program that starts with a slower, acoustic recording of “Personal Jesus” and pivots to the better-known, pulsating single around the 1:12 mark (both versions are by the original artist, Depeche Mode). It’s a simple but effective way for the 21-year-old Nordeback to build on his artistry with every performance (and this one, taken from Swedish Nationals, went especially well for him).

PROGRAM I COULDN’T LOOK AWAY FROM, EVEN THOUGH IT REMINDED ME TOO MUCH OF CURRENT EVENTS–

Nina Pinzarrone (BEL)’s Handmaid’s Tale

It’s a shame I cannot find this in its entirety, for Pinzarrone’s free skate was a sparse-but-lovely creation; a combination of music from The Handmaid’s Tale itself, and “Nocturne in D-Flat Major ‘Un Reve’” (composed by Eric Christian von Fricken) that surely helped the 18-year-old from Belgium move further out of teammate Loena Hendreckx’s shadow. von Fricken even caught Pinzarrone’s performance at Skate America and spoke his gratitude through social media! Choreo courtesy of Benoit Richaud. 

COOLEST CONCEPT: Lucas Britschgi (SUI)’s sign language-infused “Iron Sky” SP

I’m a big fan of the reigning European Champion’s skating; nonetheless, I didn’t learn the story behind this season’s SP until Worlds. And what a story it is! Here’s what Britschgi himself said about it earlier in the season (courtesy of Golden Skate):

“I think this theme is a bit more complex. It contains the famous speech from (the Charlie Chaplin film) “The Great Dictator.”
I aim to transfer a deeper message with this program and feel like, considering the current situation in the world, this is the right moment.

Additionally, this is supported by me using elements of sign language throughout the program. I worked together with an Italian specialist in sign language for that. Almost all movements of this SP are inspired by sign language, and some will be more recognizable than others.

It is a new and special experience for me to transfer a message- against the totalitarian regimes and mainly against the war. I hope it will be interesting for the spectators as well.”

BEST PAIR OF PROGRAMS WE DID NOT GET TO SEE AT WORLDS: Those of Josefin Taljegard (SWE)

Josefin Taljegård is the three-time Swedish Champion and, arguably, the most recognizable Swede on the international circuit since the Helgesson sisters (Viktoria and Joshi) about a decade ago. While her unique music choices and/or interpretive skills have carried her to three World Championships and the 2022 Olympics thus far… she was unable to get the qualifying scores needed to compete in Boston this past spring. 

So please enjoy this Celine Dion FS of hers (“Wicked Game” was her SP again this year), and cross all your fingers and toes for her to qualify for the main events next season if you are so inclined.

BEST “THAT’S SO THEM” PROGRAM WHERE THE “THEM” WAS NOT KEVIN AYMOZ:

A Chorus Line FD, Orihara/Pirinen (FIN)

For a #2 team from a country that’s only moderately known in this sport, Yuka Oriharen/Juho Pirinen have done pretty well for themselves. In fact, I’d venture to say they are making musical theater their signature FD music in the same sort of way Lilah Gear and Lewis Gibson made a name for themselves several years back as the “Disco Brits!” 

Chicago was their musical music in the 2023-24 season… and they sold it so well, it seemed to make perfect sense that they’d go with A Chorus Line– another shimmering, instantly recognizable 70s musical. (Does this mean they’ll move into the 80s musicals for next season? As long as its not Phantom or Cats, I’m in…except I can totally see them doing Cats. Sigh.))

MOST THOUGHTFUL SHORT PROGRAM SWITCH MID-SEASON: The aforementioned Kevin Aymoz

If you watched Kevin Aymoz’s SP at Worlds (which he choreographed himself, along with Brice Mousset) and said That was beautiful, but… wasn’t he using a different SP earlier this season? you’re not wrong. “Bird Gerhl” (by Antony and the Johnsons) was Aymoz’s 2023-24 SP, and he returned to it for very deliberate reasons. In his own words (via IG):

“Switching back to my short program from last season was a decision I made right after the European Championships, and there were a couple of reasons for it. First, with the World Championships being in Boston, I felt that my original program wasn’t appropriate given the tragic plane crash that affected so many skaters from Boston. This program is about flying high, and I want to dedicate it to the victims there.

Another important reason is the original story behind this program, it’s about transgender people. I want to use my voice and tell this story in the United States, where it matters a lot right now.”

All that said– and good on you, Kevin Aymoz, for saying it– his original SP for this season (“Everybody” by Martin Solveig) was a joyous banger that I’d LOVE to see him bring back for the upcoming Olympic season. Choreo here is by Aymoz, John Zimmerman, and Silvia Fontana.

PROGRAM MUSIC CHOICE(S) MOST LIKELY TO MAKE ME MISS USA’S JOSH FARRIS: “Give Me Love” by Ed Sheeran

Sheeran released this song back in 2012, and a few years later, U.S. men’s competitor Josh Ferris made exquisite use of it in his 2014-15 short program (in fact it helped him win the silver medal at 2015 Four Continents). Sadly, a series of concussions the following year derailed his competitive dreams, forcing him to retire at only 21 years of age. 

Perhaps that’s why this performance from 10 years ago forever connects him to this Sheeran song. And why I missed him all over again when two different pairs teams– NED’s Danilova/Tsiba and USA’s Chan/Howe–  used “Give Me Love” for their own SPs this year. In fact– since I couldn’t find a Chan/Howe clip anyway– let’s just look at Ferris’ work of art instead (with choreo by Jeffrey Buttle).

BEST OMG I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT COMBO WORKS! PROGRAM: “Moonlight Sonata/Take on Me,” Mikhail Shaidorov (KAZ)

Let’s hear it for “epic” remixes! Why? Because it was the “Epic Trailer Version” of Beethoven’s well-worn “Moonlight Sonata” that carried the first half of Shaidorov’s free skate… and an “Epic Version” of A-ha’s mid-80s hit “Take On Me” (from a trailer for the streaming series The Last of Us) that carried the back half. Before fans knew what was happening, a classic from one genre was blending seamlessly into a classic from another… and 20-year-old Shaidorov was having a dream of a breakout season that included a Four Continents title AND the World Silver Medal.

BEST LYRICS IN A PROGRAM FOR A SKATER COMING OUT OF RETIREMENT: “Promise,” Alysa Liu (USA)

Since I’ve already brought up the Season of (Donna) Summer repeatedly this year… let’s honor the very first program she brought to us as her comeback began. 

Performed and co-written by Laufey (who I included in my “Class of ‘25” post), “Promise” had lyrics that hit home for anyone who has found tremendous struggle in leaving something behind. A sample lyric heard in Liu’s program goes like this:

So I broke my promise/I called you last night

No matter how long I resist temptation, I will always lose

It hurts to be something

It’s worse to be nothing with you

But here’s a fact that you might not want to know: those lines are pulled from two different verses of the song and edited together! Check out the original lyrics here.

And last, but not least… BEST PROGRAM TITLE WHEN THE SKATERS INVOLVED LOOK TO HAVE APPROPRIATED THEIR COSTUMES FROM ANOTHER TEAM:

“Why?”

(By Bronski Beat)… Skated by Metelkina/Berulava (GEO)

Ummmm…. self-explanatory.

(Though now that I’m seeing them side by side, they’re not as identical as I first thought.)

That’s the list for the 2024-25 season! Did I cover your favorites? A few of them? Not even close?? Let me know in the comments!