Well hello folks and I’m back with another one of my inventive and unique columns. Today’s topic – the singing abilities of our wrestling women. It really did amaze me just how many of our favourite Divas have taken a stab at singing professionally. By professionally I mean getting at least one song on a proper CD while some have gone even further and released albums or joined bands. Here I’m going to look at the various Divas and Knockouts that have taken a trip to the recording studio and decide whether or not they should go back.Mickie James:
Mickie started work on an album full of country music towards the end of 2009 and the album got released a few months after WWE had given her marching orders. To be honest I’m not the biggest fan of country music and listening to Mickie singing hasn’t converted me. She isn’t exactly musically inclined if I’m putting it nicely. She may have the passion and the inspiration to write the songs but she won’t be winning any Grammys. Though I will say that out of all the songs of hers I’ve listened to, her voice is more suited to fast and bouncy songs because she sounds a little less hard on the ears when she’s singing faster stuff. For example the fast paced “Are You With Me” is catchy enough but the titular “Strangers and Angels” which is a slow ballad does not suit Mickie’s voice at all. But there is definitely one Mickie song that I really can’t stop listening to and that is of course her “Hardcore Country” entrance theme which actually isn’t on the album. That song really plays to her strengths and you’ll find yourself grooving along to the beat and singing “backwoods or uptown!” along with Mickie. Take a listen for yourself.
Maria Kanellis:
Maria started working on her own music around the same time as Mickie did and she was released from WWE while she was working on it too. Maybe that had something to do with it? Maria has a very interesting voice when it comes to her music. She’s not going to make men’s hearts flutter at the sound of her voice but she has a certain quality to her that makes me like most of her songs. She released an EP called “Sevin Sins” which had four songs on it. The first was “Alice In Wonderland” which is the only song I don’t like. The rhythm and lyrics are honestly just all over the place to me and it reminds me of an even worse version of that Gwen Stefani song that had an Alice in Wonderland themed music video. The album’s titular track “Seven Sins” is more of an acquired taste, full of fire and brimstone but yet compelling at the same time. If you’re into that type of music then you’d probably like Seven Sins. The next two songs actually got music videos made for them and they’re both my favourite of hers. “Fantasy” is the standout track chosen by Maria and features topic of forbidden love and hidden desires, with a nice sounding tone to it. I just love the way the song progresses and this was the first of Maria’s songs to make it to my iPod. And according to Maria herself, a certain WWE Champion is the inspiration (“supernatural love with a superstar kiss”). The other song is probably the most powerful on the EP and that is “Change Your Mind”. This song really tells a story, and a suggestive one at that. Of a relationship that’s clearly on the rocks and yet the singer does not wish for it to end, using sex as a way to try and bring the passion back. You can almost feel how lifeless and empty the relationship is through the rhythm of the song. I feel it would make a great music video telling the story visually but the actual video is just Maria singing in the studio cutting away to clips of her on a beach. Maria ain’t exactly a quality singer but her music is very captivating to me.
Lilian is a Diva whose musical abilities are certainly known to the wider audience. She’s sung the national anthem plenty of times on Raw, recorded Torrie Wilson’s “Need A Little Time” theme and belted out a fabulous rendition of “Respect” once. I’ve heard two of Lilian’s songs though I am aware she has released two albums of Latin pop music. “You Drive Me Loca” is her most recent song that is fast and bouncy pop, certainly something I could imagine singing in the shower or bopping my head along to if it came on the radio. Lilian really has a fabulous voice and I love listening to her sing. The other song she’s known for is “You Just Don’t Know Me At All” which was her entrance theme whenever she actually got an entrance. I really like this song which is a lot harder and more aggressive than the previous one. Lilian really belts it out during the chorus and you almost get lost in the sound of it. It gives me the impression of Lilian standing on a stage and screaming at a nasty ex-boyfriend much like Kelly Clarkson’s “Behind These Hazel Eyes”. This type of song might not be for everyone but I personally love it.
Lita:
After leaving WWE it was Lita’s time to form a punk rock band called The Luchagors of which she is the lead singer though she also knows how to play drums. Personally I could never get into their music. I kept trying to give them a chance but their music is almost all noise to me. I’ll rock out to Blink 182, Sum 41 or the good old Sex Pistols any day but I’ve yet to find a Luchagors song that I’ll gladly listen to. I respect Lita for following her other passion but that doesn’t mean I have to listen to her music. I’m not trying to bash her, it’s just not what I like. But Lita fans need not despair as there is another song I actually do like. Way before the formation of The Luchagors, Lita recorded a song for the WWE Originals album back in 2004 called “When I Get You Alone”. Lita is not a good singer but I still really like the song. She’s a little more understated than she is in her Luchagors songs and sings a bit more mellow so the song is more bearable. The chorus is really catchy and the drum beat is of course performed by Lita herself. The music itself is really good and the singing passable. Though this song is less punk rock and closer to the short lived girl band The Faders.
Stacy Keibler:
Yes, Stacy recorded one song a long time ago. This is another song off the WWE Originals album and Stacy does a semi-dance, semi-techno number called “Why Can’t We Just Dance?” which did actually make it onto WWE television a couple of times. The song itself is seriously over-produced. There are so many audio effects going on there that it’s impossible to actually judge Stacy’s singing ability. I’ll go out on a limb and say she would have a job singing this live. However I still quite like the song and find it really enjoyable to listen to. It wouldn’t be out of place in a nightclub and reminds me a lot of Jennifer Lopez’s “Play” and it really is something that is quite easy to dance to as the title suggests. Stacy’s voice sounds a little bland but I don’t know whether or not to attribute that to the umpteen audio tweaks she has in the chorus.
Christy Hemme:
I only found out about Christy’s music recently so I eagerly rushed to check it out. The first song I came across was “Bad Thing” which is like a combination of Maria’s “Fantasy” and Mickie’s “Are You With Me” but I mean that in a good way. It almost sounds like a remix of those two songs. Christy’s voice sounds quite similar to Maria’s if I’m being honest but she’s a bit more mainstream sounding. “Bad Thing” is a really good song and the tune will find its way into your head and get stuck there. The next song is “Enough” which is much slower and more akin to Marilyn’s “happy birthday” to the president. Christy however sounds fine on slower songs too, much better than Mickie and Lita, though I think I prefer her doing faster stuff. “Enough” starts off fairly bland but it really kicks into gear halfway through and it’s a decent song from Christy. For some reason it gives me the mental image of Christy sitting against a raindrop covered window and singing while autumn leaves fall outside. “Footprints” is another song that sounds a lot like “Enough” but it is much more melodic and I enjoyed it better. It sounds like it would be right at home in the trailer for some indie quirky romance movie about a small town girl (who may or may not be living in a lonely world). “Don’t Give Up” is a slightly faster song that is very Avril Lavigne-sounding. It’s a ballad but it’s a bit up tempo and fits Christy’s voice better than the two previous songs. At first listen I wasn’t that into it but by the end I was sold on the song. I can see myself becoming a fan of Christy’s music if she continues with it.
Trish Stratus:
And of course we’re finishing the article with my personal favourite. Trish only recorded one song for the WWE Originals album, a slow and slushy love song called “I Just Want You”. And my God is there anything this woman can’t do? She has a singing voice that is just so…I don’t know pretty. It’s like how you’d expect the classic Disney Princess to sing. And on the little behind the scenes feature on the DVD, Jim Johnston claims that Trish’s voice didn’t have to be adjusted. I don’t know how true that is but her voice does sound quite natural. If she had some proper training then I think she could very well make a career out of singing. The song itself is nothing original, being your average story of a girl in a troubling relationship. But towards the end of the second chorus, the song goes in a direction I really like and I feel like I can feel Trish’s emotions. The song itself has a very Atomic Kitten feel to it where none of the girls were amazing singers but their songs sounded nice.
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