Sufjan Stevens - Tonya Harding (Official Audio) 

Sufjan’s words: “Tonya shines bright in the pantheon of American history simply because she never stopped trying her hardest. She fought classism, sexism, physical abuse and public rebuke to become an incomparable American legend. I admit, early drafts of this song contained more than a few puns, punch lines and light-hearted jabs-sex tapes and celebrity boxing make for an entertaining narrative arc. But the more I edited, and the more I meditated, and the more I considered the wholeness of the person of Tonya Harding, I began to feel a conviction to write something with dignity and grace, to pull back the ridiculous tabloid fodder and take stock of the real story of this strange and magnificent America hero. At the end of the day, Tonya Harding was just an ordinary woman with extraordinary talent and a tireless work ethic who set out to do her very best. She did that and more. I hope the same can be said of us all...”

my goal is to be such a human disaster that sufjan steven writes a ehtereal whimsy song about me

It is a tragic and fascinating and complex human story, I'm not surprised Sufjan found interest in it

I hope Tonya hears this song. If I lived with a difficult and complex public past, I would find an empathetic, well-wishing song by Sufjan Stevens to be immensely healing. I can't imagine anyone else but Sufjan writing songs about polarizing public figures. This was beautiful and humane.

“I’ve been trying to write a Tonya Harding song since I first saw her skate at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in 1991. She’s a complicated subject for a song partly because the hard facts of her life are so strange, disputable, heroic, unprecedented, and indelibly American. She was one of the greatest figure skaters of her time, and the first American woman to perform a triple axle in an international competition. She was an unlikely skating star, having been raised working class in Portland, Oregon. Being a poor outsider, her rise to fame in the skating rink was seen, by some, as a blemish on a sport that favored sophistication and style. Tonya’s skating technique was feisty, fierce, and full of athleticism, and her flamboyant outfits were often hand-made by her mother (who was abusive and overbearing). (They couldn’t afford Vera Wang.) And then there was the Nancy Kerrigan incident. In January 1994, Tonya’s then-boyfriend Jeff Gillooly hired an assailant, Shane Stant, to break fellow figure skater Nancy Kerrigan’s leg at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Cobo Arena in Detroit, so that she would be unable to compete at the upcoming Winter Olympics. The after-math of the attack was recorded on camera and ultimately set off a media frenzy (and an FBI investigation). Gillooly and Stan were eventually found guilty, and Tonya pleaded guilty to hindering the prosecution, and was subsequently banned for life from the U.S. Figure Skating Association. Nancy Kerrigan recovered from her injury and won a silver medal at the Winter Olympics. Tonya Harding finished eighth. But that’s not even half the story. When Tonya and Gillooly got married, they filmed themselves having sex on their wedding night and produced one of the first-ever celebrity sex tapes (which they sold to Penthouse for $200,000 each). Tonya also had a brief career as a boxer, and is most famous for her bout with former Arkansas state employee Paula Jones (whose sexual harassment suit against Bill Clinton precipitated his impeachment in 1998). Tonya was also (very briefly) in a band called the Golden Blades (they were allegedly booed off the stage during their first and only performance). She also raced vintage automobiles (setting a record by driving a Ford Model A over 97 miles per hours on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah). And in 1996 Tonya used mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to revive an 81-year-old woman who collapsed at a bar in Portland while playing video poker. That’s a lot to accomplish before the age of 30! Tonya Harding’s dramatic rise and fall was fiercely followed by the media, and she very quickly became the brunt of jokes, the subject of tabloid headlines and public outcry. She was a reality TV star before such a thing even existed. But she was also simply un-categorical: American’s sweetheart with a dark twist. But I believe this is what made her so interesting, and a true American hero. In the face of outrage and defeat, Tonya bolstered shameless resolve and succeeded again and again with all manners of re-invention and self-determination. Tonya shines bright in the pantheon of American history simply because she never stopped trying her hardest. She fought classism, sexism, physical abuse and public rebuke to become an incomparable American legend. I admit, early drafts of this song contained more than a few puns, punch lines and light-hearted jabs-sex tapes and celebrity boxing make for an entertaining narrative arc. But the more I edited, and the more I meditated, and the more I considered the wholeness of the person of Tonya Harding, I began to feel a conviction to write something with dignity and grace, to pull back the ridiculous tabloid fodder and take stock of the real story of this strange and magnificent America hero. At the end of the day, Tonya Harding was just an ordinary woman with extraordinary talent and a tireless work ethic who set out to do her very best. She did that and more. I hope the same can be said of us all.“ -Sufjan Stevens

Damn imagine someone making a beautiful song about you. Even after all the misunderstanding and misfitting in. That's such a sweet treat.

damn. sufjan owned 2017. it's been an amazing year for him, musically.

My favorite part of this video is 4:30, when it cuts to Kristi Yamaguchi who pretends to be proud of Tonya for all of a second before giving in to a jealous glare. This sport was so. fucking. competitive. These girls lived and breathed skating.

I think every new Sufjan Stevens song is the most beautiful song I've ever heard until I hear the next new Sufjans Steven song

If I'll ever make it to the Olympics I will skate to this. Tonya is the one who inspired me to start figure skating. Idc what people say about her, she's a legend

Sufjan needs to keep doing portrait songs. This and John Wayne Gacy prove it.

One thing I've always loved about Sufjan is how he never attempts to rebuke anyone. He never chastises or makes a scathing tune about someone's wickedness. He instead sets out to find humanity in those who have been disgraced, and who have committed atrocious acts. He looks at Harding with admiration, he says that he's no better than John Wayne Gacy Jr. He shows us his wildest emotions, yet hatred is not one of them. He shows what it is to be a kind, loving, caring man. A truly good Christian to look up to.

Thank you, Sufjan Stevens , for articulating what I've been trying to say for years, but you did so beautifully. Long before Nancy Kerrigan, people had it out for Tonya. She wasn't rich, she wasn't model pretty, she didn't have designer clothes, she drove a truck, her mother made her outfits. The snide remarks were everywhere but she fought her way into the "club" anyway and shined. For the mistakes she made, she paid a heavy price and, for the bullies of the world, they will continue to make her pay. Let it go. It was almost 25 years ago, for God's sake. I wish her well and hope she can, one day, stop having to fight back. At long last.

"Has the world had its fun? Yeah they’ll make such a hassle And they’ll build you a castle Then destroy it when they’re done" Dang Sufjan you always know exactly know what to say. Don't ever change.

This is amazing, her reaction to her own performance is priceless.

I used to watch this young lady skate at Lloyd Center when she was 15 and 16. Even then when you talk to her you could tell that things weren't right at home. You could tell that her zest for life was being squashed by something. Something kept hidden. So sad.

Sufjan this is why I love you. This is art. To see a person for more than the joke the world has made them out to be, and help us to see their beauty in its complexity.

i have synesthesia - this song is the sight of snowflakes falling and an aurora borealis refracting on ice; it’s the smell of night winter air. it’s glistening.

Sufjan can sing about anything at all and make it beautiful.

“Has it ever struck you that life is all memory, except for the one present moment that goes by you so quick you hardly catch it going?”― Tennessee Williams

This song would have been perf for the credits of I, Tonya

Subaru sedans does it again

Holding my newborn on my chest in the hospital and praying she grows up in a kinder world-- thank you Sufjan

tbh i never really *watched* her skate, and to see her smiles and exuberance and excitement on that ice, so full of passion and life.

Tanya probably doesn’t see it this way, but sufjan is admiring her, she was good and doesn’t deny that.

This song is a beautiful and very moving tribute to Tonya. Her story is so tragic, the deck was stacked against her from the beginning, having to fight all alone to overcome the hurdles of a poor background, an abusive mother, an abusive boyfriend, class snobbery and elitism from the skating community, and yet she shone like a diamond in the rough.

this song is so beautiful and peaceful, yet after listening i have the urge to go bust someone's kneecap 10/10, will listen again 👏👏👏⛸

If I ever write a book that gets adapted into a film, I want Sufjan and only Sufjan to compose all of its music. Sigh.

“ well this world is a bitch girl, don’t end up in a ditch girl” bless you Sufjan

Sufjan treats Tanya Harding with the pure honesty and compassion that her skating career (and the controversy it generated) deserves -- the greatness, the irony, the tragedy, and madness. Beautiful, haunting, twisted, messed up, sad, and absurd. It could apply to anyone of note who has crashed and burned.

2:08 is one of the most incredible jumps you'll ever see ('Yamaguchi in red..."). What a performance. And an incredibly haunting song. My fave of Sufjan's catalog!

I have never been to Portland, but I’m Portland white trash. PURE JOY thank you. Miss u boys RIP love always Uncle Tyler

You may came here for Tonya, or You may came for Sufjan, but you'll stay for them both. Perfection.

“It is not those who can inflict the most, but those that can suffer the most who will conquer.”

This style is a perfect marriage of Age of Adz and Carrie and Lowell, as well as a return to the Americana subject matter of his older work. Absolutely brilliant.

Who knew ice skating would make me cry. Thanks sufjan.

genius

So glad to see Sufjan trending, this guy deserves all the recognition he can get.

Tonya Harding was a powerful terrific skater and it's a dam shame what happened to her . The wrong people in your life can make all the difference .

I've been obsessed with both Sufjan Stevens and Tonya Harding lately.... and then this comes out.

Ha Sufjan is such a great artist. I saw the title and was like, "well this is an odd choice and kinda dumb." And then I remembered he wrote a beatiful and tender song about John Wayne Gacy and am unsurprised at how good this is and how much I like it.

Shit, I actaully teared up a bit while watching this. I didn't even know I still had emotions left.

This is one of Sufjan’s most beautiful pieces. ✨

I really don't know Tonya Harding but with this music and her passion i admire her.

Are you lonely at night?//Do you miss all the glory//And the mythical story//Of the Olympian life?. wow. pure poetry

She was one hell of a good skater.

I dunno why it feels so good to watch her skating she is like a fairy

woaw that skating performance was also impressive

Thank you Sufjan Stevens and Asthmatic Kitty for this mesmerising, moving and strangely liberating song. Every time I listen to it, I am just transported.

This song brought back memories of watching Tonya's story as a kid. Sufjan is a genius, this song made me cry. What song about a contemporary sports figure will make you cry? I challenge anyone to come up with another one.

My mother recently said this about Tonya Harding. I find it appropriate, and expressed in a form in this song: ""Jeff Gillooly and his pack of idiots were for sure dim and Tonya was scrappy from all of that-but talented. She reminds me of the Gillis' family dog, Happy. Fights. Hit by a car. Never was given a bath. One eye blind. Shredded ear. But he patrolled Sargent Ave every day and lived a long and for him apparently a happy life. We dubbed him The Immortal. Tonya has done crazy and maybe demeaning things to survive. She’s immortal."

She was truly beautiful out on that ice. Like she was born to be right there in that moment.

Amazing skating! It's incredible to think that what all she overcame to skate like this at the age of 20!

I understand that Tonya isn't a fan of this. Why? It's absolutely beautiful and makes me like Tonya more. She is my American princess.

This is the greatest song about an athlete of all time

thanks smurfman sassafras for blessing us on this holy day oh yes subaru

One of the best songs never heard

The brilliance of Sufjan is that although we're responsible for our actions, society has a big factor in how people are created and moulded, and consequently teaches us how we define our actions.

“I don't know what's worse: to not know what you are and be happy, or to become what you've always wanted to be,and feel alone.”

every sufjan song gives me that light airy feeling after you've had a good cry

If she skated today she would be rebel on fire and everyone's hero.

I get so many goosebumps throughout this. Look how happy she is when she nails each jump. Her performance, combined with the song, conveys so, so much.

"Well this world is a cold one But it takes one to know one." Beautiful line.

By now Tonya has most likely stumbled upon this song... trying to imagine what she must have felt listening to it

that moment when the crowd gives her a standing ovation, her arms way up to sky, it always makes me cry

Sufjan has really been spoiling us lately.

i can understand why sufjan would feel a sort of kinship with tonya. from what i can gather from his other music, he had quite the difficult childhood and a complex relationship with his mother, much like tonya did. and he has such a talent for writing sensitive yet honest songs involving difficult subjects. if anyone can write such a brilliant and humane ode to tonya, it makes sense that it would be him.

she's so captivating never was so glued to my screen

Breathtaking. ✨

How could you do that, Sufjan? Everything you touch, it turns gold.

I have no love for religion but Sufjan's capacity to empathize with monsters and create such beautiful music about them brings me to tears, God bless him.

i just finished watching CMBYN and I, TONYA and searched for this artist, and BOOM! i am wigless

Sufjan sent this song to the director of the new movie coming out with Margot Robbie, but he hasn't decided yet if he's going to put it in the movie. HOPEFULLY HE DOES.

Anytime I hear a Sufjan Stevens song I am taken back to our self-catering cottage in Kent, England when I heard him for the first time. It was the first song from "Come on Feel the Illinois" What beautiful music he has created. Everything is beautiful.

the little keyboard riff, makes me hear wonderful lavendar sparkles dance around my mind, such a gorgeous song

This breaks my heart and uplifts me more than any of you will ever know.

This song, coupled with this amazing skating, is absolutely bewitching. Beautiful.

I've listened to this so many times since it was posted. Absolutely beautiful.

The Greatest Gift and now this. Sufan fans are blessed this season.

its crazy her life....I hope God will enjoy her courageous soul.🙏

I love that she has something so beautiful that will be forever.

Sufjan Stevens been blessing us like crazy this year.

I'm not into skating but seeing her do this routine makes me about as emotional as I was when I watched Rudy. So a wreck. Except this was real life. She deserved all the triumph she felt.

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.”

Sufjan is one of those people who you don't just like one of his songs, you like all of them.

I can't stop watching this. I just saw Call Me By Your Name and fell in love with Sufian Steven's music in the movie. Then I saw I, Tonya. I searched for "Tonya Harding triple axel" and stumbled upon this video. So cool.

Easily the best song of the year

Isn't amazing how some see the beauty in humanity and not the dark side. Stevens is so kind and sees the grit, determination she had to overcome her mistakes. No one is perfect, she has more minuses than pluses but the pluses are exceptional. A wonderful song.

I love how happy she looks after doing the triple axel :)

I did not see this coming...actually tearing up at the end.

This is my first-ever comment on a video song. I just watched I, Tonya, and checked out this video. I am speechless. I never felt something this eternally beautiful. This video, this music, and this girl just became an inspiration for me. God bless!

It’s hard to believe the producers of I Tonya rejected this song. It perfectly captures Tonya Harding.

This song is one of the most beautiful songs that i ever listen. 🌬️🖤

Mankind cann't judge anybody, except God! What we ever did as alive is written, but ordinary people cannot read it! Thanks both of you, Tonya, Steven!

I've never heard about Tonya Harding but damn. This song captivated me the whole time that I want to start tearing up.

I can already envisage this person, sitting in an old folks home, wondering how life was back in those good ol’ days. I can’t fathom the depths to which my sadness would go if I forged my happiness in the strength of my body, only to watch as one day my body is stripped until only my will remained.

I can't express how much I love this song - the lyrics, music and vocals are perfect. Regardless of what people think of Tonya Harding nothing can change the fact that this particular performance was absolutely stunning on all levels.

Beautiful song. I'd rather know Tonya than Nancy. Nothing against Nancy, but Tonya is my kind of american girl. God bless em both.

She's phenomenal! Thrilling! I don't believe how she do that she has asthma and chain smoked!

I have less hatred in my heart after hearing this song. Feels so much better.