Taylor Swift just caught a blunt brush-off from music figure skater Ilia Malinin. On camera, the U.S. men’s star shut down Swift’s catalog with a quick, “Hard no.” The moment hit as Winter Olympics talk warmed up for Milan. It also landed during the singer’s “Opalite” promo run. Now, fans are replaying the clip because the pop megastar is in NBC’s Olympics mix, and it spread quickly online.
Taylor Swift’s music is not liked by American Olympian figure skater Ilia Malinin
As per an interview on TODAY’s YouTube channel, uploaded on February 13, Ilia Malinin was asked about his music taste. He first said, “I listen to any kind of music,” listing electronic, metal, pop, R&B, and lo-fi. However, when Swift came up, he snapped, “No.” Right after, he added, “I like some music I don’t like,” and confirmed she was the only artist on his no list.
Regardless, Swift’s tie-ins kept building. The Grammy winner narrated a new NBC Olympics promo, reportedly after Malinin’s remarks. The spot runs with “Opalite” and highlights Team U.S.A. women. In her voiceover, she calls Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, and Isabeau Levito “three American showgirls on ice.”
The multi-time Grammy winner also says Alysa came back “on her own terms.” Meanwhile, she calls Amber’s edge “embracing the fight.” So, Ilia’s “hard no” arrived before Swift’s Olympics push for the women’s team went live.
At the same time, the American music figure skater is known for jumps over playlists. The “Quad God” became a headline name after he landed a quad axel in competition in 2022. His parents are also Olympians, and they coach him. Malinin joked, “I’m on the ice 24/7,” when asked about training. He said, “For me, it all comes down to feeling” before competitions.
Malinin goes electronic when he needs rhythm and metal when he needs edge. Amid the controversy, the Olympian stumbled in Milan and finished eighth, missing medal contention overall.
Originally reported by Santanu Das on Reality Tea.
