There’s one name that just about every wrestler and wrestling fan will recognize: Alicia Atout.
The 23-year-old music lover, motivated and determined to share her passion with the world, first hit everyone’s radar after she started her own YouTube channel and interview vlog, “A Music Blog, Yea?” (AMBY). The vlog features informed and fun interviews with wrestlers, music legends, and various stars.
Atout really entered the mainstream wrestling universe spotlight when she picked up the gig of backstage host and interviewer for IMPACT Wrestling, along with her various backstage interviews for ALL IN, Destiny Wrestling, Smash Wrestling, and RISE Wrestling, and hosting Greektown Wrestling’s Thursday Night Wrestling.
AMBY and Atout have won various awards for their well-produced interviews, information, and involvement. Kristen Ashly had the honor of interviewing the “Interview Queen”, herself, Alicia Atout.
Alicia reminisces about when her love for music and wrestling started, and how that shaped her career, today.
“My love of both wrestling and music started when I was a child, as my parents both have had such an influence on me. When it comes to music, I remember being bathed by them when I was a little kid to artists like Prince and KISS, and my Mum took me to my first concert at the age of three. As far as the wrestling goes, my Dad would hang out with a ton of his buddies and they’d all watch wrestling together…guess who sat down beside them at the age of two and would watch TV with them? If you haven’ guessed yet, it’s me! Both these two passions of mine were pretty much ingrained in me, and my lifestyle since birth and I simply never phased out of them.
I never enjoyed school too much. Don’t get me wrong, I was a good student – I studied well, got decent grades, and would listen in class – but I get bored very easily. I would finish my assignments and sit in class listening to music and writing about what I was listening to. It got to the point where my parents discovered I did this and told me to post my reviews online. So, I listened.
I posted my first blog online in 2012 and it was a very short music review. I continued posting these types of reviews when I had time while still in school and then noticed I was getting views. From there I started interviewing musicians over e-mail, which turned into video interviews about a year later. I continued interviewing for the next few years; I really honed my conversation skills, became much more comfortable being in front of the camera, and sometimes I’d have up to twelve interviews in one day. My record is twenty-six in a twenty-four hour period…I’m still pretty proud of that one!
Fast forward to 2016, I was out of school and chose to really put things into full gear and put everything into my website. The success of the site on the music side was really exciting, so I decided to try my hand at my other passion and interviewed a wrestler. I posted my first wrestling interview and it caught on with fans. After that, I decided to change my website from solely a music site to an interview site, an interview site where ‘The Interview Queen’ interviews both musicians and wrestlers. I clearly haven’t stopped since then, I truly love my job.”
Atout was asked what her favorite moment or interview was, and who she’s aiming to interview next.
“That’s such a tricky question! There are so many favourite moments and interviews. I really felt so much pride when I hosted video interviews with Chris Jericho, Mick Foley, Kenny Omega, Rey Mysterio, John Morrison, The Young Bucks, and Cody Rhodes. These are all favourite wrestlers of mine and having them on my show (each multiple times) is such a trip.
The best part of running my website however has to be the relationships it’s given me. I’ve had this incredible opportunity of befriending so many of my childhood idols and current favourites. I now am friends with wrestlers I watched when I was a kid, get advice from legends, and so many of my buddies I met through my job because I interviewed them. It’s pretty crazy.
I really want to get KISS on the show. They’re one of my all-time favourite bands and it would be so killer to have them on. When it comes to the wrestling side of things… it has to be John Cena, The Rock, and The Elite. I’ve interviewed everyone in The Elite separately but I’d love to host a full Elite interview with them all together as I know how much fun that would be. I absolutely adore those guys.”
When Atout was asked about her influences and role models, it was clear she had always seen her family as her inspiration, while recently looking to a wrestling stable for further hope.
“I’ve always looked up to my parents. They’ve encouraged me to follow my dreams and have helped me with ideas and the business side of things along the way. Over the last year, I’ve found myself looking to Cody Rhodes and The Young Bucks the most for inspiration. These three are not only absolutely talented wrestlers, but they’re amazing businessmen who still have such a love for this industry. I really hope to someday inspire others like they do.”
As a young woman, Atout has to constantly deal with struggles and obstacles do to her age and gender. Alicia shared her worries as a young woman in the business, and gives advice to any others who wish to follow in her footsteps.
“I was seventeen when I started my website, so I dealt with a lot of sexism and ageism. I would walk into a room and people would instantly judge me because of how young I looked or they would think I couldn’t get the job done simply because of my birth date. Others from companies I worked with would try to take advantage of me being young, thinking I’m naïve, and would attempt to undercut me on deals. I could see right through it and never fell for their BS.
Being a woman in music and wrestling is strange. Don’t get me wrong, majority of people are amazing, but there are always going to be douchebags out there. You really have to learn to ignore creepy DMs and never do anything you aren’t comfortable with. I get weird messages and requests all of the time and NEVER act on them. People will try to coerce you into doing things, whether fans or famous individuals, and I doubt it ever ends well.
Keep supporting other females. This business (life in general) can be tough at times and we really need to keep one another positive, happy, and confident. Empower one another and show your love!”
Watch Alicia Atout in royal form as the Interview Queen on IMPACT on PopTV and Fight Network at 8 p.m. EST, and on her website for AMBY.
