The right theme music can be important in wrestling, and can really help if it's a hit or a big name providing the lyrics. Victoria experienced both in WWE, but under some unique circumstances.
t.A.T.u. took MTV by storm in 2002, and created controversy among really old angry white people around the country. Questions regarding their ages and sexuality due to the "All the Things She Said" music video gave way to the song becoming a hit and the duo performing at the Video Music Awards. Months earlier, WWE had reached a deal to utilize the track for new star Victoria's theme.
When speaking to Fightful, Victoria recalled being presented with the theme.
"I wasn’t aware of t.A.T.u. They asked me, 'Hey, we picked a song out—” for while I was a psychotic character— “would you come back and listen to it?' I watched the video and I was a muscular girl, so I was always kind of being stereotyped as a butchy kind of gal and I was trying to, like “I want something feminine ‘cause I’m already muscular and I already work like a man,” that kind of thing. When I saw the video, I go, “Why would you guys think of me for this?” But, at the beginning I was like, 'I don’t think it’s eerie enough.' Of course, I had Fit Finlay come in with me. He’s a big part of my character and he’s the one that developed me, and all that kind of stuff, and he goes, “Well, can we add something eerie at the beginning?” That’s when they added the “Yes, I lost my mind,” then I was like, “Oh, yeah!”
The work wasn't over with just because Victoria got a theme. She had to film graphics for it. In 2002, Titantron videos were much in-depth and less lazy than what WWE provides these days. However, the Exorcist-inspired video might have been better suited for a lazier approach than what happened.
"Then when we were doing the video for it, I had no idea what was going on. I was like, “Alright, stand in the trash can,” and we turned around because my head was supposed to look like it was turning around. If you ever looked at that video, my hair is like this {Victoria puts her hair behind her back}, and you know, you should be able to see the hair go around me like this {Victoria imitates the hair spinning across her front}. But, I was standing in the trash can, and they just turned me around. The hand thing, they just said, “Keep on putting your hand in the camera.” Of course, you never ask why. You’re just like, “Okay, they know what they’re doing. They’ve been doing this for years.” Then, when I saw the final product I was like, “Whoa, this is so awesome,” and the reaction from the fans to that song was amazing," she said.
At the time Victoria was winning the Women's championship, the song was already a big hit. At the time WWE showed her the song and subsequent video they had in mind, she thought they had different motivations for using the theme.
"I was like, “Why did the think of me for this? What?” Then I started getting scared, “Are they going to have me do a lesbian gimmick?” Do you know what I mean? I think [the] public knows I’m married, to my ex-husband, I was married. I don’t want to be a false character where lesbians are coming up to me saying, “Thank you for coming out, it helped me come out of the closet,” or something, and I’m not a lesbian. I didn’t want to do such a far fetched character. I know that it’s pro wrestling, and I know that actors do that too and stuff like that, but in wrestling, they almost think your character is you. Or a branch of you. But, then I didn’t know what they were doing and I guess the lyrics spoke for itself," she said.
Upon a bit of a character evolution, Victoria was given new theme. Licensing rights caused WWE to move a different direction, and they struck gold again... kind of. They landed on a song featuring future megastar Nicki Minaj. They just happened to catch her an entire six years before one of her songs ever landed on the billboard charts!
"She’s so risqué and at that time we didn’t know who she was. When they switched my song from [All the Things She Said by t.A.T.u.], we only owned it for a year, that’s all WWE owned it for. That was the reason why we switched over. They’re like, “Well, what other kind of music are you into?” I was like, “I like hip hop. I know I don’t look the type, but I’m really into hip-hop and I kind of want a female to do it.” So, they reached out to (her group Hood$stars) —but, how crazy is that? I found out that Minaj did it through social media," Victoria said.
Years later, WWE would change the theme, slowing it down. Completely against the spirit of Nicki Minaj. When Victoria moved to TNA in 2009, an "All The Things She Said"- inspired theme was composed by Dale Oliver and former TNA wrestler GoldyLocks.
Victoria, real name Lisa Marie Varon has moved on from wrestling, and on to Grown Ass Women TV. She, Mickie James and So Cal Val connect with their fans in a variety of different ways, on several different shows.
You can see our full interview with Lisa Marie Varon at the top of the page. Be sure to check out GAW TV on Twitter, Facebook, Patreon, Instagram and Youtube.
