Every skating competition should be broadcast like this: without any commentary

Oona and Gage Brown, a talented sibling duo from Team USA, created a mesmerizing ice dance routine set to Metallica’s iconic song Nothing Else Matters, blending the band’s original metal ballad with a cover by Australian singer Marlisa Punzalan. The Browns, ages 16 and 18 at the time, performed the routine early in the morning at New York City’s Bryant Park. Filmed in a serene, unedited video, their skate captured the raw emotion of the song, leading to viral recognition and cementing their place as a rising force in the ice dance world.

This performance wasn’t just an impressive technical display; it was an artistic expression that managed to resonate deeply with audiences. By skating to a song that contrasts the traditional music often chosen for figure skating routines, they brought a fresh edge to the sport. Their interpretation of Metallica’s haunting melody added layers of depth to their routine, which felt both raw and elegant. The combination of Marlisa’s delicate vocals in the cover version with Metallica’s iconic guitar riffs gave the performance an intriguing balance of power and grace.

The Brown siblings have been skating together since 2016 and have been coached by Inese Bucevica and Joel Dear. Their bond as brother and sister helped them develop an intuitive skating partnership. Both started skating at a young age but only teamed up as a pair a few years before this routine went viral. Their impressive work ethic, which includes waking up at 5 AM for hours of daily training, has clearly paid off. Their connection on the ice is palpable, making their routines all the more captivating.

Metallica’s Nothing Else Matters holds significant weight as a song. Released in 1991, it was a departure from the band’s more aggressive sound, featuring emotional lyrics and softer instrumentation. The song’s themes of personal reflection and emotional vulnerability seemed perfectly suited to the Brown siblings’ intimate and synchronized performance. Skating to a piece of music like this showed that the Browns are not afraid to take risks, both musically and choreographically.

The public’s reaction to this routine was overwhelmingly positive. The performance garnered millions of views on social media, with many applauding the Browns for their daring choice of music and their masterful execution. It’s not every day that figure skating fans get to see Metallica blended with ice dance, and the novelty certainly contributed to the routine’s widespread acclaim. However, beyond the novelty, it was the siblings’ precision, synchronization, and emotive expression that truly made the performance unforgettable.

Their success in blending rock music with ice dance isn’t the first time such a crossover has been attempted, but the Browns executed it with an authenticity that few other teams could replicate. The fact that the routine was captured in one continuous shot, with no edits, added to its appeal. It felt raw and genuine, as if the audience was skating alongside them, feeling every twist, turn, and glide.

This isn’t the first notable achievement for Oona and Gage. The duo has been making waves in the figure skating world for a while, having won a bronze medal at the 2020 U.S. Figure Skating Junior Nationals. Their choice of Nothing Else Matters showcased their evolving style and ambition to push the boundaries of traditional ice dancing, combining modern music with classic skating techniques.

Metallica themselves are known for their broad appeal, and this routine seems to have tapped into that same universal appreciation. The band’s music, which transcends generations and genres, found a surprising new home on the ice. It’s rare to see figure skaters connect so deeply with a song that is, at its core, a rock ballad, but the Browns’ ability to tap into the emotional undercurrents of the music was a testament to their skills as performers.

Their bold choice to skate to such an unexpected track may well inspire other figure skaters to think outside the box when it comes to music selection. The Browns have shown that figure skating can be just as powerful when set to unconventional music, and their success will likely encourage others to follow in their footsteps. This performance, blending the grace of skating with the raw power of Metallica, created an unforgettable moment on ice that will resonate with fans of both skating and rock music for years to come.