Avril Lavigne Biography

Originally packaged as a hard-edged Britney Spears for the skateboard set, Avril Lavigne was once described on her own website as "a skater-punk, a dynamic spirit, a true wild child." Lavigne was born in a small town in Ontario and grew up singing in church. At age 16 she caught the eye of record producers, who had plans to make her a pop star in the mold of fellow Canadian Shania Twain. Instead Lavigne teamed with songwriters and came up with hit tunes such as "Sk8er Boi" and "Complicated," the latter of which was featured on the show Dawson's Creek. Lavigne was only 17 when her debut album Let Go was released (2002); the album netted her five Grammy nominations. Her next album. Under My Skin, was released in 2004 and reached #1 on the Billboard album charts. In 2006 she announced a deal with the powerhouse Ford Models agency, and told Harpers Bazaar magazine she was hoping "to do those really beautiful ads with high-end products." Throwing her 'punk' tag even further out the window, she released the single "Girlfriend," a bouncy teen-pop ditty from her 2007 album The Best Damn Thing.