"Hey, I’m Avril Lavigne!"

I was born on September 27, 1984, in Belleville, Ontario, but I grew up in the small town of Napanee. Ever since I was little, I knew I wanted to be on stage. My parents recognized my love for music early on—when I was just two years old, I was already singing Jesus Loves Me on the way home from church. My dad, who was super supportive of my passion, filled our basement with musical instruments—a microphone, a drum kit, a keyboard, and guitars. He even converted it into a studio so I could practice anytime I wanted.

Growing up, I wasn’t the girly-girl type—I was more into hockey and skateboarding with the guys. I played in a boys' league as a right winger and even won MVP twice. But music was always my biggest love. When I was 14, my parents started taking me to karaoke nights, and I began performing at country fairs, covering artists like Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, and The Chicks. By the time I was 15, I had started writing my own songs, and I knew I wanted to take my music career seriously.

At 16, I was discovered by Arista Records and moved to New York to work on my debut album. Let Go was released in 2002, and it completely changed my life. Songs like Complicated, Sk8er Boi, and I'm with You became massive hits, and before I knew it, I was one of the biggest names in pop-punk. At just 17, I was rocking baggy pants, tank tops, and ties, making waves as the "anti-pop" princess in a world dominated by bubblegum pop stars. My raw, rebellious style set me apart, and fans loved that I was unapologetically myself.

From there, my career only skyrocketed. Under My Skin (2004) showed my darker, moodier side with hits like My Happy Ending and Nobody’s Home, while The Best Damn Thing (2007) brought out my fun, energetic vibe with Girlfriend, which became my first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Over the years, my music has evolved, but I’ve always stayed true to who I am—whether I was experimenting with rock, pop, or acoustic ballads.