Avril Lavigne is back with a mature, sophisticated sound, and a slightly disappointing lack of tie over T-shirt combo.
Speaking as somebody who would regularly sob sing to I’m With You back in the mid noughties, I couldn’t be happier to see the Canadian songstress making music and bringing eyeliner inspiration once again.
Nowadays our favourite Sk8r Girl is more likely to tune into some jazz than rock out to pop punk. And this personal and creative development is reflected in her upcoming album, Head Above Water.
Some might say – ahem – she’s almost like a different person entirely…
Of course, rumours that Avril, 34, was replaced by a lookalike have plagued her for years, and it’s all just a little bit Complicated.
Citing supposed changes to Avril’s facial features and fashion sense, some fans believe the ‘Pop Punk Princess’ was replaced by an actor by the name of Melissa in 2003.
As far-fetched as this rumour might sound, it is still very much doing the rounds online, with some even claiming Avril has actually shrunk in size. And Avril is not having any of it.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, an understandably exasperated Avril said:
It’s just a dumb internet rumour and [I’m] flabbergasted that people bought into it. Isn’t that so weird?
It’s so dumb. And I look the exact same. On one hand, everyone is like, ‘Oh my god, you look the same,’ and on the other hand people are like ‘Oh my god, she died’.
Avril has been away from the public eye for a while, having battled with Lyme Disease for years; a debilitating illness which has since inspired some of the themes of her new album.
Speaking about how she has spent her time away from the mic, Avril continued:
I’ve been doing a lot of painting. I’ve been dating and spending a lot of time with my family. When you go through something like that you really see who your true friends are, and a lot of people fled because I wasn’t the ‘fun party girl’ anymore.
I needed my friends and my family. I needed support, and it was a total eye-opener in general. So it was just a lot of life lessons.
I gained a lot of perspective. But I’ve come so far. I couldn’t get out of bed for almost two years, and there are still days where I can’t get out of bed. To be putting out songs that mean so much to me… I’m excited.
No doubt Avril ‘truthers’ will continue to hold their suspicions even if she released her birth certificate and a sample of saliva for lab testing.
But – in the part of my heart which is still clogged up with dirty Converse laces and tutu mesh – I know this Avril is the real, rebellious deal. And I cannot wait to see what this new chapter of reinvention brings her.
Welcome back, my queen.
Avril Lavigne’s sixth studio album Head Above Water is scheduled for release on February 15, 2019.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.