Wrestler Charlotte Aptitude has spoken to NME about her love of music from her theme tune to her fandom for Megan Thee Stallion – in addition to who her dream opponents could be.
Aptitude is gearing up for WrestleMania 41, the place she is going to problem the present WWE Girls’s Champion Tiffany Stratton for her title. In the course of the first London cease on “Street to WrestleMania”, she continued her successful streak on Smackdown and received her match in opposition to Michin.
Whereas speaking to NME, the WWE famous person stated the phrase “excited is an understatement” in terms of describing how she feels about her upcoming championship match. “WrestleMania is my area,” she stated earlier than reminiscing about her extreme knee harm. “2024 did its greatest to kick my ass, and I kicked its ass.”
Since her principal roster debut in 2015, Aptitude has solely missed two WrestleManias, however final 12 months’s absence “felt a bit extra private.” She admitted she “took it a bit extra to coronary heart” as a result of she had “by no means been injured on the primary roster, so this was an enormous blow to me mentally and bodily.”
“The Queen” solely returned to WWE this February after being away for greater than a 12 months attributable to a extreme knee harm. She entered the 30-Lady Royal Rumble at 27 and received – punching her ticket to WrestleMania and turning into the primary lady ever to win the Rumble twice.
“Folks thought that I used to be gonna come again older and perhaps lower than – and understandably so, as a result of I got here again from what may have been a career-ending harm,” she speculated, however she is stronger than ever. “I’m the one lady to be on eight WrestleManias and [in] eight title matches, so I take it very critical. I’ve already finished my homework. That’s the exhausting half. WrestleMania goes to be the enjoyable half with Tiffany Stratton.”
Throughout her restoration, music performed a significant function in Aptitude’s routine. “Megan Thee Stallion obtained me by way of the summer season,” she enthused earlier than sharing that she additionally loves “quite a lot of EDM,” too.
“Don’t get me improper, I play Adele so much driving down the street,” Aptitude continued. “Gosh, my music style is form of far and wide. Generally, you’ll hear me enjoying Sexyy Pink within the health club, but it surely may go from Dave Matthews Band to Cardi B. I like Diplo, I like Rebūke. I really like my reggaeton too like Unhealthy Bunny and Peso Pluma – it actually simply is determined by my temper.”
Final 12 months, Megan Thee Stallion and RM of BTS’ collaboration ‘Neva Play’ turned the opening theme tune for Smackdown – and Aptitude is keen to get the Scorching Lady coach on the blue model. “I had simply finished a publish with one of many new Megan Thee Stallion songs, after which they used it for SmackDown,” she recalled. “And I used to be like, ‘Oh, can I simply DM her and be like, ‘Will you come out with me for my entrance?’”
The North Carolina star even referred to as out Thee Stallion straight: “Megan, two queens facet by facet. Let’s make it occur, please.”
Aptitude additionally commented on Unhealthy Bunny’s WWE in-ring profession – by which he received the 24/7 Championship and main-evented Backlash in 2023: “He has been unimaginable anytime he’s made an look. You may actually inform his love for the business and [how] he respects it and places within the work. So kudos to him.”
Extra pop stars have been entering into the WWE: Travis Scott appeared as John Cena’s confederate in attacking Cody Rhodes final month and is at present coaching for his inevitable in-ring debut. Sexyy Pink just lately revealed she may have wrestled in WWE if she had extra time to coach. She, as a substitute, had segments on NXT and hosted Battleground – a premium stay occasion unique to the yellow model.
NME requested Charlotte Aptitude what she considered extra non-wrestlers taking over the problem. “I solely suppose a famous person ought to try this in the event that they respect the business and wish to be good at it and take the time to be taught as a result of what we do may be very particular,” Aptitude defined. “We’re not solely entertaining – I imply, it’s sports activities, it’s leisure, it’s all-encompassing. It’s a must to put within the work — it’s exhausting. Who likes getting beat up?”
When requested which stars she’d wish to see step into the squared circle, Aptitude had just a few in thoughts: “[Olympic gold-winning gymnast] Simone Biles killed it. [Olympic gold-winning skier] Lindsey Vonn simply got here again [and] received one other medal at 40. And an artist? I’d say, let’s go Cardi B as a result of I do suppose that she follows it and likes it. So these three.”
The latter did a promotional video for WWE final 12 months, saying that one other premium stay occasion SummerSlam will now be held throughout two nights.
With extra musicians having distinguished roles in current WWE storylines, Cyndi Lauper’s legacy in wrestling has just lately resurfaced amongst fan dialogue. The pop icon had been instrumental in WWE’s Rock ‘n’ Wrestling period, managing Wendi Richter when she received the WWF Girls’s championship on the first-ever WrestleMania. Many believed she deserved a Corridor of Fame induction and, when requested her ideas, Aptitude remained impartial. “I’ve by no means been requested this query,” she acknowledged earlier than believing it was “not one thing she may say”.
“That isn’t one thing that I’m educated on,” she added. “I simply know the tune [Lauper’s 1983 hit ‘Girl Just Wanna Have Fun’]. I like her. It was a monumental second for Wendi Richter,” she stated. “I feel that might be as much as the followers to vote, whether or not they imagine she must be in it. That’s not my determination, however there’s no unfavorable there — I simply don’t know.”
Charlotte Aptitude – because the daughter of wrestling legend Ric Aptitude – has carried on her household’s legacy not solely by way of her in-ring prowess but in addition by way of her entrance presentation. Each she and her father are famend for his or her elaborate, feather-adorned robes and for utilizing the long-lasting composition ‘Additionally Sprach Zarathustra’ by Richard Strauss as their entrance music. Whereas Ric Aptitude walked out to the unique orchestral piece, Charlotte’s model – referred to as ‘Recognition’ – is a remix crafted by WWE’s former in-house music manufacturing duo CFO$.
Aptitude mirrored on the importance of the doorway theme. “To start with, it actually took me a minute to personal it as a result of I’m popping out to technically Ric Aptitude’s music that’s simply remixed a bit (as a result of I really like EDM and techno so that they gave it a beat),” Charlotte defined.
Ultimately, she embraced it, saying “it turned second nature” to her. In 2023, her tune was up to date and renamed ‘All Hail The Queen’ with an added intro: “Bow down / All hail the queen”. Aptitude initially revealed she had blended emotions in regards to the monitor however, years on, she instructed NME that she discovered the brand new tune “fairly cool”.
Nonetheless, for Aptitude, the tune represented extra than simply her entrance and wresting persona: “I’m extra proud [of] that beat or that symphony that’s from my dad’s and that’s just like mine. I’m so pleased with the legacy we’ve created collectively, and that’s what I feel is a very powerful a part of that music. It’s an extension of him whereas persevering with my very own path.”
WrestleMania 41 will happen on April 19 and April 20 in Las Vegas, with CM Punk, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins principal eventing the primary night time and John Cena (in his final 12 months of wrestling) will problem the present WWE champ Cody Rhodes in hopes of turning into a record-breaking 17-time World champion within the firm. You will discover any accessible tickets right here.
US followers can watch WrestleMania by way of Peacock, and most worldwide followers can watch WWE’s most prestigious occasion on Netflix.
In different information, Lewis Capaldi appeared throughout final Friday’s Smackdown, aligning himself with fellow Scotsman Drew McIntyre by congratulating him backstage after his win in opposition to Randy Orton.
