WWE's Alexa Bliss: The 10 songs that changed my life

WWE Superstar and Bowling For Soup, er, souperfan Alexa Bliss picks the songs that soundtracked her transformation from wide-eyed schoolgirl to multi-time WWE Women's Champion...

“I remember listening to this song while sitting in the backseat of the car as a little kid, looking out and watching two droplets of water racing each other down the window. I kept getting the lyrics wrong and my mom had to keep correcting me: I didn’t realise the words were ‘Don’t go chasing waterfalls,’ I thought they were ‘Don’t go Jason Waterfalls...’”

“This was my favourite song as a kid and it always will be. I remember getting ready for middle-school, crimping my hair to that song every day. When they were singing about watching wrestling, I did not realise it was forecasting my future. I didn’t think I was going to be a wrestler, much less a WWE Superstar. I just remember them saying she was ‘a rocker with a nose ring’ and I always wanted a nose ring. That’s about as far into the future as I was looking at that point. I wished I was the girl all the bad guys wanted, but I was the girl none of the guys wanted...”

“I sing a lot of *NSYNC in the shower and I’m pretty good at it. I think I sing this one most because I used to watch the video with all the dance moves when I was younger, and would try to do them in the shower. I would put on my own concert – my own little performance – because I was that cool.”

“This could be anything by Bowling For Soup, really, but ¡No Hablo Inglés! always makes me laugh. The lyrics – the whole concept – of the song are just really funny. I think that if I’d heard this song when I was a little younger, it could have gotten me out of a lot of stuff. If my mom was telling me to clean my room or do some chores I could just pretend I don’t speak English. I heard it a little too late in life, though. Nowadays, I don’t think that’s going to get me out of anything...”

“I listen to a lot of Aerosmith, but this is the one that I listen to before I get in the ring. I love the energy of their songs. I also love that the Rock ‘N’ Roller Coaster at Disney World has Aerosmith songs playing while you’re on the ride. I think that being a professional wrestler getting into the ring is definitely a lot like a rollercoaster ride!”

“This is a pretty obvious choice! I feel like if I walked out with that song playing in the background I’d seem a lot cooler than I really am. I think people would see me and think, ‘She’s not messin’ around!’ At the same time, it matches my nerdiness. Also, it embodies my character in WWE to the fullest – I say mean things to the other wrestlers, I cheat but I don’t get caught – while also talking about me as a person being five-feet-tall with my pig Larry-Steve. I love the blend of wrestling and real-life, and that perfect balance between Alexa Bliss and Alexis Kaufman.”

“I just like how it’s a very soothing song. Even though his hair is super-aggressive, his music is not. I really like any kind of acoustic music – that’s what settles me down. Any time I’m on an aeroplane, I’ll always be listening to this kind of acoustic music, just because it’s got that more chilled vibe. You don’t want to be trying to wind down while listening to very abrupt rap or rock.”

“I just think this is such a cute song. The song is super adorable, and the music video is, too. You listen to the song and then when you get to see the video [of couples coming together] it’s just like, ‘awwww’. It’s a romantic song if I’ve ever heard one. I listen to such a mix of music, from cute stuff like this to harder rock. Anyone that rides in the car with me, like Paige, will always say I have the most random playlists they’ve ever heard. There’s nothing that I stick to, and nothing I’ll rule out. I love all kinds of music – except for the sound of the banjo, which just rubs me up the wrong way!”

“Cardi B is sassy, and listening to her music makes me feel sassy! I think this is the one that makes me feel the sassiest. I think we would get along. I remember going to an awards show once and all the interviewers were asking who I wanted to win; I said I wanted to see Cardi B win because I wanted to see what would come out of her mouth when she got up there to give a speech. She just entertains me so much. I’d probably be that friend who just sits back, listens to her talk and gets to be thoroughly entertained.”

“What’s the message here? Well, that it’s closing time on my life. It’s time to go home. This is it! I’ve never thought about the message I’d like to send at my funeral before! I guess it would either be this or playing showtunes to keep it cheery. The only think I have decided about my funeral is that no-one is allowed to wear black. I wear black everything. Black-on-black-on-black. No one else is allowed to wear it! It’s a celebration of my life, not an excuse for everyone to be dressing like me!”

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