Nathan Chen skates to Elton John x Britney

[dragonheart97]

A video was released on Elton's official YouTube channel today that features Nathan Chen, 2022 Olympic gold medalist, skating to the "acoustic version" of Elton's collaboration with Britney Spears, "Hold Me Closer". The video was filmed at Yale University's rink, where Nathan is currently taking classes.

Nathan posted a teaser to his Instagram

Comments

[aotearoagal]

Prefer this acoustic version to the single.

[sitakhet]

Yeah, you can actually hear Britney's voice.

Florence still has the superior cover tho

[janetdkd]

Another one

[pikapika217]

If this is him paying more penance for being an asswipe about being a 'straight man in figure skating' then ok sure girl!

(Have I held onto that as a life long homosexual and life long figure skating fan - well, when it's on TV at least lol - ? Lil bit! But he DID apologize - https://www.outsports.com/2021/7/28/22597517/nathan-chen-homophobic-figure-skater-remarks-apology

And he still a child so fine)

[iznanassi]

Was about to ask if this was the douchebag lol so thanks

[elevatorshaker]

He skated to Elton John songs for two seasons.

And I think everyone's reaction to that interview was overblown. It was an ineloquent statement regarding how it sucks that figure skating is disparaged in the United States because it's thought of as a sport for girls and gay guys. Whether he's doing the right thing by skating to hip hop to try and butch up its image is up for debate (straight man's burden? I don't think those people whose approval you want are going to be watching figure skating, Nathan), but it always seemed that people thought he was homophobic because they hated him rather than hating him for being homophobic.

[pikapika217]

I didn't see him as homophobic myself but more so obnoxious. Figure Skating is one of the few sports that is seen for and dominated by gay men and straight women so the comments and idea of trying to distinguish himself as straight - or the insecurity about needing too - is like when the straight women in the WNBA make a show about not being seen as gay.

I did hold more of a grudge about it because at the time I thought he was older and should know better than to talk and/or think like that or be hung up on being seen as 'masculine' - when, if that was the case, then yeah- GO PLAY HOCKEY THEN! - but seeing that he was literally born in 1999 and is still very young and that he apologized quickly it's something that can be chalked up to growing pains.

[mhfromnh]

I still can't with someone who skates to Elton John without a single fucking rhinestone

[elevatorshaker]

THIS. I can't believe he never had a costume except for that one La Vie Boheme for his entire post-2018 career.

[hallyujah]

His butt is looking juicier, he's so hot to me idc. His artistry has developed because in like 2017, 2018 all he could do was jump pretty much but he's really found choreo that works for him. I know he's taking time off from the sport rn to finish his undergrad at Yale but does plan to defend Gold in 2026.