{"id":2458361,"date":"2020-05-12T22:48:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-13T04:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/music-is-shiffrins-passion-away-from-slopes\/"},"modified":"2020-05-12T22:48:00","modified_gmt":"2020-05-13T04:48:00","slug":"in-tune-music-is-mikaela-shiffrins-passion-away-from-the-ski-slopes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/in-tune-music-is-mikaela-shiffrins-passion-away-from-the-ski-slopes\/","title":{"rendered":"In tune: Music is Mikaela Shiffrin\u2019s passion away from the ski slopes"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.8313253012048\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-325644-683\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled gallery-container\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/Musical_Mikaela_Skiing_89090-d4663-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/Musical_Mikaela_Skiing_89090-d4663-1024x683.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Nathan Bilow\/AP | United States' Mikaela Shiffrin poses with her father Jeff Shiffrin after a women's World Cup slalom ski race in Aspen, Colo. When she's not winning races, two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin unplugs by singing and playing guitar. Music was always a bond she shared with her late father, Jeff, who died on Feb. 2 after an accident at his home in Edwards, Colorado. Now music has become her escape.\" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\" readability=\"2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"15\">\n<p><strong>United States&#8217; Mikaela Shiffrin poses with her father Jeff Shiffrin after a women&#8217;s World Cup slalom ski race in Aspen, Colo. When she&#8217;s not winning races, two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin unplugs by singing and playing guitar. Music was always a bond she shared with her late father, Jeff, who died on Feb. 2 after an accident at his home in Edwards, Colorado. Now music has become her escape.<\/strong><br \/>Nathan Bilow\/AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/Musical_Mikaela_Skiing_89090-d4663-1024x683.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"United States' Mikaela Shiffrin poses with her father Jeff Shiffrin after a women's World Cup slalom ski race in Aspen, Colo. When she's not winning races, two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin unplugs by singing and playing guitar. Music was always a bond she shared with her late father, Jeff, who died on Feb. 2 after an accident at his home in Edwards, Colorado. Now music has become her escape.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/Musical_Mikaela_Skiing_89090-d4663-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/Musical_Mikaela_Skiing_89090-d4663-1-1024x683.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Giovanni Auletta\/AP | United States' Mikaela Shiffrin embraces Italy's Livio Magoni, coach of Slovakia's Petra Vlhova, after completing an alpine ski women's World Cup slalom race in Flachau, Austria. When she's not winning races, two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin unplugs by singing and playing guitar. Music was always a bond she shared with her late father, Jeff, who died on Feb. 2 after an accident at his home in Edwards.\" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\" readability=\"2.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"16\">\n<p><strong>United States&#8217; Mikaela Shiffrin embraces Italy&#8217;s Livio Magoni, coach of Slovakia&#8217;s Petra Vlhova, after completing an alpine ski women&#8217;s World Cup slalom race in Flachau, Austria. When she&#8217;s not winning races, two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin unplugs by singing and playing guitar. Music was always a bond she shared with her late father, Jeff, who died on Feb. 2 after an accident at his home in Edwards.<\/strong><br \/>Giovanni Auletta\/AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/Musical_Mikaela_Skiing_89090-d4663-1-1024x683.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"United States' Mikaela Shiffrin embraces Italy's Livio Magoni, coach of Slovakia's Petra Vlhova, after completing an alpine ski women's World Cup slalom race in Flachau, Austria. When she's not winning races, two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin unplugs by singing and playing guitar. Music was always a bond she shared with her late father, Jeff, who died on Feb. 2 after an accident at his home in Edwards.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/Musical_Mikaela_Skiing_89090-d4663-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/Musical_Mikaela_Skiing_89090-d4663-2-1024x683.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"AP | Second-place finisher Mikaela Shiffrin, left, of the United States, celebrates following a women's World Cup downhill ski race in Lake Louise, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh\/The Canadian Press via AP)\" class=\"swift-gallery-slide h-100\" readability=\"0.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"12\">\n<p><strong>Second-place finisher Mikaela Shiffrin, left, of the United States, celebrates following a women&#8217;s World Cup downhill ski race in Lake Louise, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh\/The Canadian Press via AP)<\/strong><br \/>AP<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/05\/Musical_Mikaela_Skiing_89090-d4663-2-1024x683.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Second-place finisher Mikaela Shiffrin, left, of the United States, celebrates following a women's World Cup downhill ski race in Lake Louise, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh\/The Canadian Press via AP)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/music-is-shiffrins-passion-away-from-slopes\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/music-is-shiffrins-passion-away-from-slopes\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText DropCap\">Only seconds in and ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin was nearly out of breath.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The two-time Olympic champion quickly settled into a rhythm and breezed through her rendition of a song popularized by Amy Winehouse in front of a social media audience tuned in for a recent online fundraising concert.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Different stage. Same strong performance.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">When she\u2019s not winning races, Shiffrin unplugs by singing and playing guitar. Music was always a passion she shared with her late father, Jeff, who died on Feb. 2 after an accident at his home in Colorado.<\/p>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col\" readability=\"6\">\n<div class=\"row at-donation at-donation-mobile p-0\" readability=\"7\">\n<div class=\"col-xl-4 p-2\">\n<div data-bg=\"url(https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/AT-logo-white.png)\" class=\"p-0 mt-2 mb-2 h-75 text-center rocket-lazyload\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/03\/AT-logo-white.png\" class=\"logo m-0 p-0 invisible\"><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><h3 class=\"d-inline mr-3\">Support Local Journalism<\/h3>\n<p><button class=\"btn d-inline\" type=\"button\" onclick=\"handleDonationButtonClickMidArticle()\">Donate<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cHonestly, it\u2019s a way to essentially not think about anything,\u201d said Shiffrin, who announced a partnership Tuesday with Madison Keys as she joined the tennis standout in their lineup of \u201cChampions\u201d for \u201cKindness Wins,\u201d a platform with the mission of spreading good will. \u201cI\u2019m a ski racer. I\u2019m not a musician. But I love it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Growing up, her father played the piano, guitar, french horn and trumpet. He enjoyed anything by Jimmy Buffett or the Beach Boys.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Their favorite song? Paul Simon\u2019s \u201cYou Can Call Me Al.\u201d Shiffrin posted part of the lyrics from the tune on her Instagram account on April 2: \u201cIf you\u2019ll be my bodyguard, I can be your long lost pal.\u201d The accompanying picture was a young Shiffrin leaning into her father.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The second part of her post: \u201cPlease come home.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThe thing you always wish for is more time, right?\u201d said the 25-year-old Shiffrin, who has been training during the coronarivus pandemic at home in Edwards. \u201cJust more time with the people that you love.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Shiffrin lost her grandmother in October. Pauline Mary Condron was 98. That was a reason why her mom and coach, Eileen, took a break from traveling with her on the circuit last season.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI\u2019m grateful,\u201d Shiffrin said, \u201cthat she was able to be home with my dad a little bit more.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Less than four months later, Shiffrin traveled home from Europe to Colorado in order to be with her father after he suffered a head injury. He died at 65. Jeff was an anesthesiologist and a former ski racer at Dartmouth who often could be seen at races with his camera around his neck in order to take photos of his daughter.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Shiffrin took a six-week break from the circuit. She returned in Are, Sweden, but the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak before she could race again. Federica Brignone of Italy captured the overall crown, ending Shiffrin\u2019s three-year reign.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Really, though, being there was more about a feeling.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI got back to the state of mind that I needed to be in to be able to race,\u201d she said. \u201cI wanted to stand in the start gate of a World Cup again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">For races, she gets fired up by listening to a particular song (like Eminem\u2019s \u201cGuts Over Fear\u201d featuring Sia). The musical routine has served her well as she\u2019s won two Olympic gold medals, five world championship titles and 66 World Cup races. That\u2019s within striking distance of Lindsey Vonn\u2019s 82 victories, which is the all-time mark among female ski racers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Like most sports, the upcoming World Cup season could be affected by the pandemic (the calendar is set to be confirmed next week). Traditionally, the season starts with men\u2019s and women\u2019s giant slalom races in Soelden, Austria, in late October.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Whenever it starts, her mom\/coach will be by her side.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI couldn\u2019t imagine her being home alone,\u201d Shiffrin said. \u201cShe supports me in every way that a mother possibly can \u2014 and more. It\u2019s still really, really overwhelming.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Music has long been her getaway. She writes her own lyrics, including a song inspired by the factory workers at Barilla (her sponsor) in Italy and dedicated to frontline workers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">She performs, too.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Last month, Shiffrin opened an online concert for \u201cGoggles for Docs,\u201d a program that provides ski goggles to healthcare workers. Shiffrin performed Winehouse\u2019s version of \u201cValerie\u201d before turning the screen over to musician KT Tunstall.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Shiffrin\u2019s constantly experimenting with sound. She will post guitar riffs from such songs as Guns N\u2019 Roses\u2019 \u201cSweet Child O\u2019 Mine\u201d or try a version of Billy Joel\u2019s \u201cVienna\u201d on the keyboard.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cMusic is supposed to make people feel good,\u201d said Shiffrin, whose mom also is into music. \u201cI\u2019m not Lady Gaga, but if it puts a smile on their face, that\u2019s the whole point.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Right along with nurturing her passion for songs and the slopes, her father instilled an important credo: To be nice. Always.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Shiffrin is putting that axiom into action through \u201cKindness Wins,\u201d an organization that started earlier this year and acts as an umbrella for kindness initiatives. The foundation recently featured \u201cKindness In Crisis,\u201d an online auction led by Keys, Shiffrin, cross-country skier Jessie Diggins and mountain bike racer Kate Courtney. They raised money for COVID-19 relief through signed hats, uniforms and other memorabilia.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cBeing kind to people,\u201d Shiffrin said, \u201cthat\u2019s something that doesn\u2019t go out of style.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/music-is-shiffrins-passion-away-from-slopes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>United States&#8217; Mikaela Shiffrin poses with her father Jeff Shiffrin after a women&#8217;s World Cup slalom ski race in Aspen, Colo. When she&#8217;s not winning races, two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin unplugs by singing and playing guitar. Music was always a bond she shared with her late father, Jeff, who died on Feb. 2 after [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2458361","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-local-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-17 01:13:48","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSPN The Valley&#039;s Quality Rock","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2458361","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2458361"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2458361\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2458361"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2458361"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2458361"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}