Canadian freestyle skier Evan McEachran listens to rap music before big air jumps at the Winter Olympics to boost adrenaline, while Swiss competitor Nils Rhyner opts for Swiss hardcore punk. Many athletes consider earphones as essential as their equipment, with McEachran even carrying backups.
The musical choices vary by event - McEachran uses rap for high-energy big air competitions but switches to soul music like Frank Ocean for the more flow-focused slopestyle event, where a different mindset is required to navigate rails and jumps successfully.