Over the last year, wrestling fans have seen "The Queen of Harts" Natalya evolve into a character less focused on glam and more on the grind. With intense training vignettes, a grittier presentation, and the adoption of a new moniker, she's now officially known as "The Lowkey Legend" Nattie.The inspiration behind this character, as revealed by Nattie, came to her through writing her memoir, titled "The Last Hart Beating." "This version came from after writing my book," Nattie told the "Battlegroud Podcast." "After I wrote my book, I realized, wow, I've had an amazing career in WWE, but I did so much of my career. I had to get my foot in the door and I had to be what everybody wanted me to be. I couldn't survive as the Nattie character. I couldn't survive as that character under Vince McMahon because everything was more about glamor and glitz. So the Natalya character did amazing under Vince McMahon because I would wear the over-the-top costumes, the hot pink, the sparkles, the rhinestones, and the sequins because [former WWE CEO] Vince McMahon was very glamorous. His style of wrestling was very over the top."While Nattie conformed to WWE's glittery atmosphere for several years, a change in leadership and a realization eventually encouraged her to paint a different picture of herself, one not as flashy or fancy, but rather stripped back. According to Nattie, she had long envisioned her WWE persona as being similar to her early training days at The Dungeon: an aggressive, black-bodysuit-wearing fighter with no makeup and her hair pulled back."I didn't feel that character could survive in the past, but now I feel like she can survive because it's just a different era in the company," she said.At the helm of WWE's current creative department is Chief Content Officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque. On occasion, though, WWE's parent company TKO has stepped in to make its own creative calls.
Looking back on her run as Natalya, Nattie made it clear that she largely enjoyed working and collaborating with former WWE CEO Vince McMahon. However, she eventually reached a point where she felt she needed to branch out creatively."I had so many amazing moments. I learned so much working with him and and for him, but I also needed to grow," she said. "I was scared of change because I didn't want to disappoint Vince. I didn't want to be something that he didn't want. So over the last couple years, I've had the courage to actually step outside the box and go, 'Hey, Triple H, is it okay if I go and wrestle in GCW, do Bloodsport, do NWA, do Reality of Wrestling, do work in Mexico? I want to build this new character.' Triple H, Nick Khan, they were super supportive of me building something brand new. My book was the reason. It was the catalyst for me doing that."As Nattie alluded to, her work as the "Lowkey Legend" has extended outside of WWE, with Game Changer Wrestling's Bloodsport events, which focuses on shoot-style wrestling, as a prime environment for her to shine. Elsewhere, Nattie challenged then-NWA World Women's Champion Kenzie Paige at the 2025 NWA Crockett Cup, then later, vied for the AAA Reina De Reinas Title in Mexico."The Last Hart Beating" hit bookshelves in October 2025, providing fans with a close look into Nattie's personal and professional life, including her aforementioned training at The Dungeon alongside her famous family.If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Battleground Podcast" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
