At the 2020 World Junior Figure Skating Championships, which took place in Tallinn at the beginning of March, the 2019 International Challenge Cup silver medalist and 2017 U.S. national junior silver medalist, an American figure skater, Starr Andrews, placed eighth with 180.87 points.
In an interview with the “Blossom on Ice”, Starr commented on her performance in Tallinn and told why she wants to be different than everyone else, who brought her to the ice rink when she was a kid and how the video on YouTube that she posted for relatives has gotten 55 million views.
How do you feel about your performance at Junior Worlds in Tallinn?
I feel really good. I definitely tried to put all my energy out in both of my programs, and I’m really proud of myself.
The music for my short program is a song by Christina Aguilera, and it is definitely one of my favorite programs. It has a lot of emotion. Even listening to it, you could tell the emotion in her voice. So, it’s really good to skate to.
My long program is Salome, “Dance of the Seven Veils”. It’s definitely different from any programs I’ve done before, and I really like it, too. I’ve been working really hard on it, and I was excited to show it in Tallinn.
Your programs are always very creative. Do you take part in the creative process? How would you describe your style?
I’d definitely like to be different than everyone else. It’s really hard to be different in this sport. People have been skating to the same songs every year, and trying to find something new is not easy. So, when I do, I’m really excited to skate to it.
As for the creative process, my coaches, my mom and I all come together to pick out the music. If we all like it, then we’re like, “Okay, this is what we’re doing.” And then, if one of us isn’t sure, then we keep looking.
Your YouTube video, “Whip My Hair”, got viral very quickly a few years ago. Now, looking back on it, do you think it has had a more positive or negative impact on your career?
Definitely positive. At the time, I didn’t know what it meant. I was like, “Oh cool, cool. Yeah, whatever.” But now, it has so many views and a lot of people know about that video. They probably don’t know it’s me now, but back then it was like, “Wow, that’s really, really cool.”
To be honest, I haven’t looked at it in a while, but I probably will sometime soon. I think I’m going to be like, “Wow” (laughs).
Now it has a few million views, I think.
Yeah, I think 55 million views, something crazy like that. It’s really cool to know that that many people actually saw that video.
You didn’t expect that back then?
No, not at all (laughs). I was just, “Oh cool, I did this program. Let’s put it on YouTube”. It’s for my family to see. So, I think it’s super cool that it got that far.
Would you please tell about how you started skating. Who brought you to the ice rink in the first place?
My mom. She started skating before I was born, as an adult. And then, when I was born, I actually had to wait because my feet were too small to go in skates (laughs). I had to wait until my feet were big enough. That’s how I got into skating.
Did you like it right away?
I did, yeah. I actually did gymnastics and skating back then, but my mom was like, “You can’t do both. You have to choose.” So, I chose skating.
What do you like most about figure skating?
Honestly, skating and feeling the wind in my face. Going out there and showing off all my hard work, it’s really fun. Still, to this day, every practice I have fun. Even if it’s a bad day, I’m like, “Everybody has bad days, so I have to move past it.”
What is your favourite element on the ice? Is it jumps or spins?
It depends. I actually do really like spins and jumps, so I would say they’re about even.
Thank you so much for the interview. Good luck!
Ludmila ORLOVA, Tallinn.