Chew the Mat: RVSHVD Talks Fave Wrestlers, Best Entrance Themes, and Who’s Got Him Excited

One artist who, highly deservedly, has been experiencing a breakthrough since the beginning of this year is undoubtedly RVSHVD, thanks in large to his hit single “Hit Different.” The track has really caught on since its release in January, a song about life growing up in Southern Georgia that will be relatable to those who are from similar locales.

The singer and songwriter views himself as one part Country and one part Street, with his music illustrative of that combo. He grew up listening to Lil Wayne, Eminem, and Tupac, and through his influences, he taught himself to be an R&B singer. Then he began discovering more modern country music, like that of Keith Urban, and his musical goals and priorities changed. Blending traditional elements of country music with contemporary hip-hop and R&B is a delicate dance, but RVSHVD comes through with talent and inventiveness.

What else does this young, vibrant troubadour enjoy besides music and songwriting? Professional wrestling, of course! For our latest Chew the Mat interview, we spoke with RVSHVD about his favourite wrestler, the best WWE entrance theme, his most memorable moment as a wrestling fan, and much more.

Who’s your favourite wrestler right now, and who’s your all-time favourite?

RVSHVD: “Right now, my favorite is Roman Reigns. When I saw The Shield debut, he was my favorite from the jump. And The Bloodline story has been fire since it started.

“My all-time favourite is between Jeff Hardy or The Rock. It’s hard to pick between The Rock’s electricity every time he’s in the ring and Jeff’s willingness to put his body on the line every time.”

Which wrestler would you want to write a theme song for?

“Brock Lesnar. His current theme song is legendary, but I think a country rock banger would go perfect with Cowboy Brock.”

What’s the best wrestler entrance theme song?

“That’s a hard one. It’s a toss-up between ‘Voices’ (Randy Orton) and ‘Sexy Boy’ (Shawn Michaels). ‘Voices’ just gets me hyped when I hear it, and ‘Sexy Boy” is an absolute banger. Mark Henry’s theme song is fire too.”

RVSHVD in 2022, photo by Angel Rewis

When did you start watching wrestling?

“I think I was like 9 or 10. I saw it for the first time in second grade, but I got into it in the fourth grade. We used to pick out wrestlers and pretend to be them. I was Jeff Hardy and Brock Lesnar.”

Were you a WWE or a WCW kid?

“I was a WWE kid. I got into wrestling late, but my uncle was into it. So, he would let me borrow old WWF tapes that he recorded. That’s how I found out about The Ultimate Warrior, Rocky Johnson, Bret Hart, and a lot of other legends.”

Greatest male wrestler of all time?

“The GOAT Stone Cold Steve Austin. He was just so cool. The way he dressed, talked, and would throw down with anybody. ‘The Stunner’ was such a disrespectful move that could be hit on anyone at any time.”

Greatest female wrestler of all time?

“For me, it’s Beth Phoenix. She just dominated when she was in the ring and wasn’t afraid of anybody. ‘The Glam Slam’ just looked so deadly. Beth is just passionate about wrestling, and you can tell. She was ahead of her time for sure.”

What’s your most memorable moment watching wrestling?

“When Jeff Hardy did a ‘Swanton Bomb’ to Randy Orton from 30 feet in the air. I freaked out. It’s the fact that Jeff stopped two different times at different levels and was like, ‘Nah, that ain’t it,’ and kept climbing!”

Which wrestler deserves their own biopic?

“It’s got to be Eddie Guerrero. Eddie was such a great performer and made being a heel look cool. He had such cool promos; his entrance was sick, and the way he cheated in matches so creative. I feel like he definitely deserves a movie.”

What is the most exciting thing about wrestling right now?

“Carmelo Hayes, hands down. The man is just cool. His swag, his move set, his promos. He’s definitely a star. Like he says, ‘He’s HIM’”

Artwork for the single “Hit Different” by RVSHVD