Alysa Liu revealed her five favorite songs for ice cream – from PinkPantheress to Tchaikovsky. And why her talk show appearance sparked discussions afterwards.
Freshly crowned with Olympic gold, figure skater Alysa Liu is already looking ahead to her next free program – and especially to the musical foundation.
On the US talk show “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen”, the American athlete talked about which five songs she would like to skate to on the ice in the future. The list ranges from current pop to indie to classical ballet music.
Pop as inspiration for ice cream
For Alysa Liu, music is a central part of her athletic narrative. So it’s no wonder that she has five songs ready that she would like to use for the next performance.
At the top of the wish list is “Capable of Love” by PinkPantheress. This is followed by “Star” by Mitski and the ballet motif from Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake”. Also in her personal top five is “CHIHIRO” by Billie Eilish and “Fire in My Heart” by Escape From New York.
The combination of contemporary pop, alternative singer-songwriter influences and classical music corresponds to the musical range that can also be found in their previous programs. Many of her freestyle concepts combine current pop aesthetics with theatrical dramaturgy.
When host Andy Cohen asked her during the show if she had been in touch with PinkPantheress, Liu replied with a laugh: “Yes, I have – she’s so nice!”
From chart hit to freestyle music
Liu already showed that she has a keen sense of musical impact at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan. There she won Olympic gold in the women’s singles – including a highly acclaimed freestyle to Donna Summer’s disco classic “MacArthur Park”. Loud “Forbes” Spotify streaming numbers increased by more than 1,200 percent within 24 hours after Alysa Liu’s gold routine.
Her later gala performance to “Stateside” by PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson also went viral and was shared millions of times online.
A talk show between bar and couch
“Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen” has been one of the most successful late-night talk shows on the US channel Bravo for years. The small bar in the studio is typical for the show. There, Cohen mixes drinks for his guests during conversations or spontaneously involves individual conversation partners in short games. While two main guests usually sit in armchairs next to the presenter, additional guests or friends of the show are occasionally placed behind the bar – a kind of supporting role in the show’s set design.
It was precisely this production that caused discussions on social media after Liu’s appearance.
Fans wonder about Liu’s placement
In the YouTube clip of the show, some viewers expressed surprise that Liu was positioned behind the bar during the interview and not sitting in one of the guest chairs.
“She’s a two-time Olympian and you put her behind the bar. What the fuck man,” one person wrote. Another commenter asked: “Who are the other two guests? Why didn’t she get a seat? She’s way more famous than them.”
In addition to this criticism of the host, positive reactions dominate in the comments column. Many viewers emphasize that they would like to see Liu in interviews more often and praise her relaxed manner.
A particularly frequently quoted comment takes up a well-known film scene from “Dirty Dancing”: “Nobody puts Baby in the corner”.
