Olympics 2018: Ice dancers Maia and Alex Shibutani share their Must List and Coldplay connection

Having already picked up a bronze medal in the team competition earlier in the 2018 Olympics, Maia and Alex Shibutani take the ice Monday (Sunday night in the U.S.) for their short dance and try to make their way back onto the podium in the Ice Dancing competition. But before they do, we quizzed the brother-sister duo — affectionately known as the Shib Sibs — about some of their pop culture preferences, especially those (ahem, Coldplay!) which have made their way into their routines…

Have you heard from Chris Martin or anyone from Coldplay?
MAIA: Yeah, we actually had the chance to meet them two times. Once, in 2016, right after we skated to “Fix You” and then we also met them again at the iHeart Radio Festival last September.

What are you listening to when you’re working out?
ALEX: I listen to music when I’m doing cardio and lifting weights, but when I’m stretching and warming down, I listen to podcasts…. I like “The Fire,” which is a song by The Roots. “Big Rings” by Drake and Future. I like “Freefallin’,” the John Mayer cover of Tom Petty’s song — that’s more of a warming down, stretching song. “All of the Lights” by Kanye. Oh, and Coldplay.
MAIA: Yeah, we both listen to a lot of Coldplay, too. I think that there’s just a really good energy to their music…. This summer, I was really obsessed with that Calvin Harris song “Slide.”

So what are you going to eat when you’re finished competing?
ALEX: Well, we’ll be in Korea, so I think if we can get some Korean barbeque, that’d be awesome.
MAIA: When I get back home, I’m thinkin’ pizza.
ALEX: Yeah, when I get home, I’m going to get a fried chicken sandwich.

If Dancing With the Stars comes a-calling, will you do it?
ALEX: If they wanted us on, I think we would consider it.
MAIA: It would be really different to compete against each other.
ALEX: We’ve never had to do that before in a serious way. It would be interesting and potentially awkward. But it would be really fun. I think we would both take it really seriously.