Minions figure skater routine, explained: Why 'Despicable Me' inspired Olympic skater's theme music, outfits

Spanish figure skater Tomás Guarino Sabaté brought a playful energy to the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics by performing his short program to a medley of music from the "Despicable Me" franchise.

Guarino Sabaté's routine featured a high-tempo soundtrack incorporating the signature voices of the Minions, accompanied by a yellow-and-black costume inspired by the film's characters. The musical choice was born out of a last-minute necessity after a copyright dispute forced him to abandon his original music just weeks before the Games. Despite the late change, the performance became an immediate crowd favorite, combining the whimsical theme with the technical precision required for Olympic competition.

By leaning into the playful nature of the soundtrack, Guarino Sabaté sought to showcase his personality and keep the audience engaged during one of the sport's most high-pressure events.

Here's more on the inspired dance.

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Who is the Minions figure skater at Olympics?

The "Minions" figure skater at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics is Tomàs-Llorenç Guarino Sabaté from Spain.

He became a viral sensation during the Men's Short Program on February 10, 2026, by performing a high-energy routine dressed in the signature yellow shirt and blue denim overalls of the characters from the Despicable Me franchise.

Sabaté wore a costume designed to look exactly like a Minion, complete with the goggles aesthetic.

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Minions figure skating routine

Guarino Sabaté put on quite the routine in Milan.

Music

The soundtrack for the short program consisted of these four cuts from the Despicable Me universe:

1. Universal Studios Fanfare (Minion Version): The program opened with the iconic studio intro, but sung entirely in "Minion-speak" and punctuated by the characters' signature peals of laughter.
2. "Vicious Funk" by Heitor Pereira: A funky, upbeat instrumental track from the Minions: The Rise of Gru soundtrack that provided the rhythm for his footwork.
3. "Freedom" by Pharrell Williams: Featured in Despicable Me 3, this was the most modern pop element of the routine.
4. Papaya (Vaya Papayas)" by Juan Alcaraz: A bass-heavy EDM track featuring Minion vocals about bananas and papayas, used for the high-energy finale.

Outfit

The centerpiece of the outfit was a custom-made, sparkling blue set of faux-denim overalls. To maintain the "Minion" silhouette while allowing for quadruple jumps, these were actually a one-piece stretch suit. They featured thick blue straps over a bright yellow base to mimic the character’s work clothes. The base was a vibrant, saturated yellow technical fabric shirt. 

The biggest difference was the goggles. Since actual goggles are too dangerous to wear during a jump-heavy routine (they can fly off or obscure vision), Sabaté wore a custom armband on his upper arm that featured the signature silver-rimmed Minion eye. 

To ensure the outfit still looked like an Olympic costume and not just a Halloween suit, the blue "denim" and yellow fabric were embedded with hundreds of tonal crystals. This helped the outfit catch the arena lights during his footwork sequences.

Thomas Sabaté's minions video

Here is a segment of Sabaté's routine.

Not since the co-creator of the Minions disavowed their history have we had a despicable scandal like this. The Spanish figure skater Tomàs-Llorenç Guarino Sabaté, who’s set to compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics, will now be allowed to perform his Minion short-form routine after… pic.twitter.com/Njzbt9EYaa

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Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate wins copyright battle 

Despite performing the routine throughout the 2025-26 season and submitting his music through the International Skating Union's official clearance system months in advance, Sabaté was informed just days before his Olympic debut that he no longer had permission to use the medley. The issue reportedly stemmed from Universal Studios and several music publishers —including those representing Pharrell Williams — who initially withheld the specific "synchronized" rights required for a global Olympic broadcast.

The situation sparked an immediate social media backlash, with fans using the hashtag #LetTheMinionSkate to pressure rights holders into allowing the performance. The public campaign proved successful: Universal Pictures eventually reconsidered, granting Sabaté "special occasion" clearance for the two tracks owned by the studio.

However, the final hurdle remained the song "Freedom" by Pharrell Williams. It wasn't until February 6 — mere hours before the Olympic team event began and just four days before his individual program — that the final waiver was signed, sparing Sabaté from having to perform a backup routine he hadn't practiced in months.

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