Avril Lavigne bio, age, boyfriend, height, disease, career path, now 2025

Avril Lavigne Biography

Avril Lavigne is a popular Canadian pop-rock singer, actress, songwriter, entrepreneur, and designer. Her debut album "Let Go" became a massive hit, selling 20 million copies worldwide in 2002. By 2020, this beloved singer-songwriter had released six albums, with the latest, "Head Above Water," released in 2019.

Childhood

Born in fall 1984 to a working-class family in Belleville, Canada, she was named Avril Ramona. Her father chose the name, with "Avril" being French for "April". She was the second child, after their son Matthew and before their daughter Michelle.

Her parents, Jean-Claude and Judith-Rosanne Lavigne, weren't involved in the arts. Her father was a technician at Bell Canada, while her mother was a homemaker and took care of the children.

But when Avril was just under three, after returning from Sunday church service, she started singing the hymn "Jesus Loves Me" so beautifully that her parents realized she had remarkable vocal talent that needed nurturing.

The family soon moved from Belleville to Napanee, a small farming town with a population of five thousand. In Napanee, Avril began school. Even though she wasn't particularly interested in academics, she knew she wanted to be a singer. Apart from sports and playing with friends, she spent most of her free time singing. By 10, she was singing in the church choir and later performed at fairs, hockey matches, and private parties.

During those years, her older brother Matt was her hero. She emulated everything he did: he was into hockey, so was she; he liked baseball, and she learned to play as well. She eventually played right wing on the boys' school hockey team and later became a solid pitcher on the baseball team.

During school, Avril Lavigne played on the hockey team

The boys didn't mind having her on the field—they recognized Avril as one of their own. She was a bit of a rebel: skipping school, riding her bike like a pro, going on hikes, and by 10th grade, she'd discovered skateboarding—her second passion after music.

Teachers often called her parents to discuss Avril's behavior, but they understood her passion for music and singing. They supported Avril's desire to learn the guitar. Her father set up a studio in their basement, equipped with drums, guitars, keyboards, and a microphone. They believed their daughter would find success.

Early Works

Her first public performances at local rural fairs showed she had serious talent. She also started writing her own songs while covering hits from Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, and other popular artists of the era. Avril Lavigne's very first song was "Can't Stop Thinking About You." In 1998, she won a radio contest, drawing the attention of not only fans but also music studios.

While performing with local singer Stephen Medd in amateur theater and singing country music at a local bookstore, the young singer met Cliff Fabri, her first manager. He compiled all of Lavigne's home video recordings and sent them to producers. Her first major audition took place in New York, at the well-known studio of Peter Zizzo. The audition was arranged by talent scout Ken Krongard.

Avril Lavigne before becoming famous

Antonio Reid, who headed Arista Records at the time, listened to the 16-year-old for just fifteen minutes. He was so blown away by Lavigne's performance that he immediately offered her a $1.25 million contract. Dreaming of such an opportunity her whole life, Lavigne instantly agreed to record two albums and received an advance of nine hundred thousand dollars.

First Albums and Fame

Lavigne never finished school, throwing herself completely into her music. But things didn't go smoothly. Songwriters wrote several country-style songs for her, but it quickly became clear that wasn't the right direction. After six months without the right material, Reid decided to take her to Los Angeles to work with the popular songwriter team, The Matrix.

Avril Lavigne at the start of her career

In their first meeting, The Matrix team asked Avril what she thought a perfect song would be. "I'm 16. I want to rock," she replied. That same day, they wrote her first song, "Complicated," which became her signature for many years.

Avril Lavigne – Complicated

The bold skater look that Lavigne introduced with her songs captivated audiences. Label executives wanted a different image for Avril: a blonde with long hair in revealing clothes. But she stuck to her style: oversized shirts with worn sleeves, jeans, T-shirts with ties, and either sneakers or Dr. Martens boots.

How Avril Lavigne's style evolved over the years

At seventeen, after the release of "Let Go," fame overwhelmed her. In Canada, the UK, and Australia, the album topped the charts and later went quadruple platinum in the US. Songs like "Complicated," "I'm With You," and "Sk8er Boi" played daily on MTV and major radio stations.

Avril Lavigne's photoshoot for the promotional album 'Let Go'

"Let Go" would have been the best-selling album of 2002 if not for Eminem's "The Eminem Show," which held the top spot. As producers noted, "this 5-foot-tall tomboy inspired an army of 'Lavignettes,' who wore out her albums and copied her style religiously." Lavigne admitted that all the intense focus nearly overwhelmed her:

It was very tough. I found it hard to talk to adults. I'd give one-word answers to all their questions. But I gradually learned and grew, and it got much easier for me.

That same year, she was nominated for five Grammys, including "Song of the Year" for "I'm with You." At the MTV VMA, she was named Best Artist of the Year. Fans dubbed her the "anti-Britney," hinting at a revolution in the pop music world dominated by scantily-clad starlets like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. Avril was against this label, but experts credited it for her skyrocketing popularity: "Boys find her more... approachable than beauties like Britney, and girls find it easier to relate to Avril, who is essentially just an ordinary teenager."

Avril cemented her incredible success with her next album, "Under My Skin" (2004). The album topped the charts in the same countries as her first, but this time it also hit #1 in Mexico and Japan. Worldwide sales exceeded eight million copies. The biggest hits were "Don't Tell Me" and "My Happy Ending."

The album earned rave reviews, with critics praising Avril's "artistic independence," "rebellious spirit, sharp lyrics, and fast rhythms." Her artistic evolution shone through, especially on the heartbreaking ballad "Slipped Away," inspired by her grandfather's death.

Avril Lavigne – Slipped Away (live)

Most of the tracks were co-written with Canadian singer-songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk. Avril brought acoustic versions to shopping mall tours across America and Canada alongside guitarist Evan Taubenfeld. Avril's debut world tour kicked off in late 2004, spanning eighteen months and hitting every continent. Her tracks landed on major movie soundtracks during this time, including "The Princess Diaries 2" and "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie."

Avril was at the height of her fame. Media outlets covered her engagement to Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley extensively. She threw herself into writing new material, and spring 2007 brought her third album "The Best Damn Thing," which exploded thanks to its massive hit "Girlfriend."

The track became a global phenomenon, recorded in seven languages including Japanese and Mandarin. It hit #1 across multiple countries including Spain, Germany, Portugal, France, and Italy. The song became one of the decade's biggest anthems. The album also won several prestigious awards, including a Grammy.

Plagiarism or Originality

As Avril's popularity soared, she found herself hit with accusations of lifting other artists' lyrics. The band "The Rubinoos" claimed plagiarism in the chorus of her song "Girlfriend." Avril's manager fired back, pointing out that the band itself could be accused of borrowing from the Rolling Stones, and that Avril had never even heard their song. The lawsuit was settled with an agreement recognizing that such choruses (like "Hey, hey, hey, yo, yo") are pretty standard across the music industry.

Avril Lavigne – Girlfriend

Soon after, Chantal Kreviazuk publicly accused Avril of stealing the song "Contagious" and included it in her album. Chantal slammed Avril's move as unethical and declared they wouldn't be working together again. Avril shot back, saying the song's title was just a coincidence and that she'd actually co-written it with Evan Taubenfeld.

Adding fuel to the fire, Rolling Stone claimed that the opening of Avril's "I Don't Have to Try" sounded identical to the start of Peaches' "I'm the Kinda." Online, fans of both artists launched into full battle mode.

Comparison between Avril's and Peaches' songs

Meanwhile, Avril was already working on a new album. The release kept getting pushed back, but in early spring 2011, fans finally got their hands on the long-awaited "Goodbye Lullaby" album. It went gold in Australia and platinum in Canada, Brazil, and Japan. Avril described it as "very serious":

I challenged myself and aimed to write about things I hadn't touched before. Love is a theme, but many songs are about life. I experienced a lot in a few years, and some songs just wrote themselves. Ideas and lyrics flowed, and all I had to do was grab my phone to jot down the lyrics and hum the tune.

Fifth Album and Illness

Just three months after the album dropped, Lavigne announced she was already working on singles for her fifth album with eight songs completed. She wanted the next album to be different from the last—more upbeat and closer to her early style. She even mentioned two songs for the new album – "Fine" and "Gone" – and shared that she was collaborating with the production duo "The Runners." However, by the end of 2012, she switched to another recording studio overseen by L.A. Reid.

Throughout the year, Avril teased several singles she had planned for the album, showcasing them on various shows. In one interview, she confirmed she was still hitting the studio with just one song left to write. In another, she mentioned having recorded enough songs for two albums, not just one as originally planned. In the fall of 2013, fans finally saw the fifth album, self-titled "Avril Lavigne."

Photo session for the cover of the album 'Avril Lavigne'

After that, fans noticed Lavigne's productivity took a sharp dive and began speculating about what happened to their favorite artist. It wasn't until 2015 that she revealed she'd been hit with Lyme disease, which sidelined her for nearly two years:

I was bedridden for five months... I was living in Los Angeles, and it felt like the worst time of my life. I saw so many specialists, the best doctors, but they'd just look at their computers and tell me I had chronic fatigue syndrome and should try getting out of bed to play piano. They diagnosed me with depression.

In reality, the infectious disease that confined the singer to her bed came from a tick bite. Such an illness can have severe consequences, and without timely diagnosis, it can even be fatal. Fortunately, by the end of 2015, Avril had largely recovered, though she underwent extensive treatment.

After hitting thirty, Avril seemed to vanish from the scene. She explained her long creative silence: "I'm scared to return to music after Lyme disease."

Avril Lavigne Opens Up About Her Struggle With Lyme Disease

At some point, fans cooked up a bizarre theory that the real Avril Lavigne had died long ago, with a doppelgänger now performing in her place. They pointed to suddenly missing small birthmarks on her hand as evidence—marks that can't be removed. This "double" was identified as a singer named Melissa. Some compared both voices and concluded they were identical. Of course, it's nothing more than a wild conspiracy theory.

Return to the Stage

In 2019, after dropping her sixth album "Head Above Water," Avril Lavigne launched an extensive world tour. The album, like her previous works, topped the charts in Canada, Australia, Japan, and several European countries.

The singer's image had evolved. Once known as the "anti-Britney" and one of the sexiest vegetarians, she started appearing on stage in more "mature" outfits, ditching her rocker tank tops.

In April 2020, to support COVID-19 patients, Avril Lavigne re-recorded the track "Warrior", renaming it "We Are Warriors". She donated all proceeds from the song to Project HOPE. Regarding her plans for 2021, Lavigne noted that she intends to release "some music" and has already started laying the groundwork for a new album.

Film Roles

While Avril conquered the music world, she also tried her hand at acting and voiceovers. On the TV series "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," she played a club singer and performed her hit "Sk8er Boi." In the film "Going the Distance," the main characters run into her backstage. Lavigne made a cameo appearance at the Much Music Video Awards, performing "Losing Grip."

Avril Lavigne on the set of 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch'

On the New Mexico set of the drama "The Flock" starring Richard Gere, Avril played a suspect's girlfriend. Between takes, she loved discussing acting techniques with the Hollywood veteran.

Lavigne appeared as Alice in Richard Linklater's "Fast Food Nation". She voiced the possum Heather in "Over the Hedge". She loved doing the voiceover work since she could develop her character independently without a big group around.

Avril Lavigne Fast Food Nation All Scenes

Lavigne was thrilled to hit the 59th Cannes Film Festival as part of the cast for two opening films. She landed a spot as the seventh top Canadian actress in Hollywood.

Entrepreneur and Philanthropist

Beyond her music career, Lavigne's also a successful businesswoman who's designed new guitar models and launched the youth clothing line Abbey Dawn. In an interview, the singer talked about her excitement over designing items that teenagers love but can't find in stores.

Eventually, Lavigne got seriously into fragrances and created "Black Star," which launched in Europe, America, and Canada. She described her project saying:

I wanted to see a star-shaped bottle, and my colors – pink and black. Black Star fragrance stands for being different, standing out in the crowd, and always reaching for the stars.

The fragrance centers on Lavigne's message to follow your dreams, embrace your individuality, and know that being yourself is perfectly okay. The perfume scored a nomination for the "perfume Oscar" – the Fi-Fi award. Soon after, she launched another fragrance, "Forbidden Rose," with the slogan "Dare to discover."

Already active in various charitable events and a member of several non-profit organizations, Lavigne founded her own foundation in 2010. Its mission is to help teenagers with serious illnesses and children with disabilities.

Avril Lavigne's Personal Life

Between 1999 and 2003, Lavigne was in relationships with Blake Thompson, Jim Bakel, and Jesse Colburn.

In 2004, she started dating Sum 41's Deryck Whibley and got a tattoo to prove it: the letter "D" inside a small pink heart on her hand. Whibley popped the question during a romantic Venice getaway in 2005, and the couple tied the knot in summer 2006.

Though Lavigne initially wanted a gothic or rock-n-roll themed wedding, her childhood dreams of a white dress won out, and she went traditional.

Wedding of Avril Lavigne and Deryck Whibley

After three years of marriage, the couple announced their split in 2009, with Whibley's alcoholism being the breaking point. He'd often wake up and by 10 AM couldn't even speak coherently. Despite everything, Lavigne stayed on good terms with her ex. Whibley continued his drinking habits for several more years until he almost died from intoxication in 2014.

Even before the divorce was final, paparazzi caught Lavigne hanging out with notorious playboy actor Wilmer Valderrama, and later with Andrew Levitas. Their divorce was finalized in 2010, right around Deryck's 30th birthday. Lavigne has said she's grateful for their time together and that they've stayed friends.

After a stint with reality star Brody Jenner, Lavigne fell for Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger in 2012. Kroeger proposed, and they celebrated their wedding in France on Canada Day 2013. After two years of marriage, Avril announced their divorce on Instagram.

Avril Lavigne's second husband was Chad Kroeger from Nickelback

Next came producer J.R. Rotem, followed by Phillip Sarofim in 2018 – son of a Texas billionaire. The pair were spotted at various social events and took a romantic trip to Italy early in their relationship.

By late 2019, reports surfaced that the 35-year-old had called it quits with Phillip. The reason? That stayed private. Next up was rock musician Mod Sun (Derek Ryan Smith), and she even appeared in his "Flames" music video.

MOD SUN - Flames (Feat. Avril Lavigne)

Things got serious fast – Derek proposed to Avril in spring 2022. But a year later, she called off the engagement.

After that, Lavigne had a brief fling with rapper Tyga.

Avril Lavigne Now

In February 2022, Avril Lavigne released her seventh studio album "Love Sux". Critics praised Lavigne's return to her roots, with the new tracks capturing the infectious pop-punk energy that made her a star. She collaborated with Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 on "All I Wanted", Machine Gun Kelly on "Bois Lie", and rapper Blackbear on "Love It When You Hate Me".

Avril Lavigne - Bois Lie (feat. Machine Gun Kelly) (Official Live Video)

Avril Lavigne: latest news and articles

I still can`t believe: Avril Lavigne got a star on the Walk of Fame

2 Sep 2022

Photos: Avril Lavigne