When Teen Vogue announced Liu as the cover star for its March 2026 issue, fans were delighted but hardly surprised. On the cover, the 20-year-old relaxes on a sofa, her signature two-tone halo hair glowing and a smiley face piercing adorning her radiant smile. Rather than posing like an athlete who won two gold medals, she looks like an art student simply enjoying a photoshoot.
Amid the global fame following her performance in Italy, Liu chose an understated approach. She told the magazine that whether she wins gold or not, she was going to have a good time, as she would still love life outside of skating just as much. This sentiment perfectly captures Liu’s character: a young woman who prioritizes personal freedom, joy and fulfillment over fame.
At the 2026 Milano-Cortina Olympics, Liu captured gold in the women’s singles event and became the first American female athlete to achieve the feat in 24 years. She also won another gold in the team event. In true Gen Z fashion, she was later spotted carrying her two glittering Olympic gold medals across the U.S. in a strawberry-patterned plastic bag.
Alysa Liu graces the cover of Teen Vogue. Photo by Teen Vogue |
After her victory, rather than diving into a grueling media tour, Liu returned to the San Francisco Bay Area to eat Chinese food, catch up with friends, and let them dig through the Olympic souvenirs that she brought home.
“I pick hanging out with my friends over a session, and if that makes me a worse skater, so be it,” she told Teen Vogue. “I don’t care. I will jeopardize whatever.”
This creates a fascinating paradox. Liu is an Olympic champion who refuses to let achievements define her life, an attitude that has only made her more beloved. Before the Games, her Instagram account had around 200,000 followers. Within two weeks, that number skyrocketed past 7.2 million, making her the platform’s most followed winter athlete, surpassing “Snow Princess” Eileen Gu and Dutch speed skater star Jutta Leerdam.
The viral moments of Alysa Liu at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
A much-needed break
Born in California in 2005 to a family of Chinese immigrants, Liu was hailed as a prodigy early on. At 13, she became the youngest U.S. national champion in history. By 16, she had competed at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and won a bronze medal at the World Championships before announcing her retirement.
Liu later admitted that the days off during the Covid-19 pandemic gave her a first taste of a real break. She realized she wanted to eat foods that she was not allowed to eat as an athlete and live a normal teenage life, escaping the blur of the ice and competitions. During her two years away from the spotlight, she played video games, watched anime, focused on school and went climbing.
It was during a ski trip that she felt the familiar adrenaline rush of the ice. In March 2024, she posted a video on the ice, marking a return driven entirely by her passion for the sport rather than the pressure to win.
Cultural icon
While the Winter Olympics propelled her to glory, Liu’s personal style has cemented her as a cultural icon. Her two-tone hair has become so striking that every spin on the ice creates a moving halo of light. She initially dyed it herself before collaborating with experts to perfect the “milk tea” color, deliberately leaving the roots dark to minimize maintenance. She adds a halo every year as a way to tell the story of her journey.
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Alysa Liu competes in the women’s singles figure skating event at the Winter Olympics on Feb. 19, 2026. Photo by Reuters |
In a sport that traditionally rewards classic beauty standards, Liu’s smiley face piercings, anime-inspired aesthetic and carefree vibes made the difference. Her gold-medal-winning performance to Donna Summer’s hit song “MacArthur Park Suite”, in a glittering gold dress that reflected the arena lights, looked like a flash of metal in mid-air.
After receiving her winning score, she casually looked into the cameras and said: “That’s what I’m f**king talking about!”
For the gala at the end of the Olympics, she chose PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson’s “Stateside”, a song about the American dream. Liu shared that for her, this dream is only complete when everyone can be there with her.
The “Alysa Liu mindset”
That inclusive spirit is deeply rooted in her family history. Her father, Arthur Liu, who left China after a political incident in 1989, raised his children to form their own opinions and speak up. Liu has consistently used her platform to discuss immigration and has participated in protests, choosing to share her story to spread empathy rather than getting stuck in political debates.
On the Olympic podium, she drew widespread admiration by warmly celebrating with her Japanese competitors, Kaori Sakamoto and Ami Nakai. Her following message of gratitude to them earned praise from skating legend Michelle Kwan, marking what felt like a symbolic passing of the torch for American figure skating.
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Alysa Liu (C), Kaori Sakamoto (R) and Ami Nakai take a selfie after the women’s singles figure skating event at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Photo by Instagram/@alysaxliu |
On TikTok, the phrase “Alysa Liu mindset” is currently trending. It is Gen Z’s way of describing a lifestyle that refuses to tie self-worth to winning or losing, and is ready to take a break when it’s necessary.
“There’s this thing called the aMCC in your brain, and it’s where you say willpower resides. I love doing stuff that I really don’t want to do, really hard things. I get a kick out of it, and that’s where I’m happy,” she added.
This slightly nerdy, highly genuine authenticity resonates deeply with young people.
Liu avoids negative comments, keeping her reality firmly grounded in her circle of family and friends instead of the Internet. However, her soaring fame hasn’t been without its drawbacks. Recently, after being chased to her car at an airport, Liu took to social media to politely but firmly ask fans to respect her personal space.
Gen Z grew up amidst a pandemic, political instability and crushing pressure to succeed. In Liu, they have found a role model who is not only a world champion but someone who knows how to protect her peace. She reached the top, dared to walk away when she was unhappy, and returned to triumph entirely on her own terms.
Liu became a symbol of a generation that believed that taking a break wasn’t a sign of weakness, and that self-expression was a legitimate right.
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