Minions will get an Olympic moment as Spanish skater secures music approval

Spanish skater Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate obtained final music clearances to perform a Minions medley for his short program and is set to skate it at the Milan‑Cortina Olympics; the last license, for Pharrell Williams' "Freedom," was approved shortly before the team event.

Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate has secured the final approvals needed to perform a Minions medley as his short program at the Milan‑Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The clearance came after Universal Studios asked for more details about the music cuts Sabate was using and a Minions‑inspired outfit. Sabate had relied on the ClicknClear system earlier in the season and obtained several permissions quickly. The final hold-up — Pharrell Williams' "Freedom" — was cleared shortly before the Olympic figure skating program opened. Key points: - Sabate received final music licenses on Friday, allowing him to skate the Minions medley in the men's short program at Milan‑Cortina. - Universal requested additional information about some cuts and the costume after Sabate had been performing the program all season. - He secured approvals for multiple cuts, including one obtained by contacting a Spanish artist directly; Pharrell Williams' "Freedom" was the last piece cleared. - The Royal Spanish Ice Sports Federation announced the copyright issue resolved, and Sabate publicly thanked ClicknClear, the RFEDH, Universal Pictures, Pharrell Williams, Sony Music and Juan Alcaraz. - The article notes copyright clearance has been a growing concern in figure skating since 2014 and mentions a similar change by Loena Hendrickx ahead of the Games. Summary: Sabate's approval allows him to perform the fan‑favourite Minions program during the men's short program, which is scheduled to begin Tuesday night. The episode highlighted how copyright clearances increasingly shape music choices in competitive skating and prompted quick coordination among rights holders and the national federation.