When Heavy Metal Hits the Ice: A Sibling Duo’s Viral Performance!
Of the many sports in the world, there are probably many that are “more metal” than figure skating. The explosive power of American football or ice hockey, for example, goes perfectly with heavy metal. But figure skating? And then a duo thinks it has to come up with a freestyle to 'Nothing Else Matters' by Metallica. See the video below...
Hot blades
Either way, the two athletes who came up with the combination are the siblings Oona and Gage Brown. They are 16 and 18 years old, come from Long Island, were home-schooled and are two of their parents' seven children. Why the Browns chose the Metallica classic for their freestyle has not yet been revealed. But of course, 'Nothing Else Matters' is an emotional ballad. The song offers a lot of drama and an emotional arc – and is therefore basically perfect for figure skating.
So what at first seems to be a mismatch may not be so far apart after all. And heavy metal and figure skating do have a few things in common: if you want to be successful in either of the two, you have to work hard, you need enormous determination and dedication to achieve your goals, and you can't let failures get you down. That said, Metallica and the Brown siblings are ultimately not so far apart. And by the way, what a performance by Oona and Cage! Applause, applause and chapeau!
I was immediately fascinated by their performance in the winter village in Bryant Park in New York. Their movements to the heavy metal hit 'Nothing Else Matters' by Metallica seemed powerful and graceful at the same time – a combination you rarely see.
The pair won the 2019 US Pewter Medal and grew up in a family of seven children. Inspired to take up figure skating in 2009 by their older sister, their journey shows how family support can help build talent. Originally skating as individuals, they bring a true passion to the ice as a duo. Their performances for Team USA in the 2018–2019 season, in which they achieved respectable placings, underscore their skill.
They have set up a GoFundMe page to continue their career. This shows how much commitment and passion is needed to succeed in this sport.
