Avril Lavigne

Avril Ramona Lavigne (born September 27, 1984) is a Canadian singer and songwriter, often referred to by critics and music publications as the "Queen of Pop-Punk" due to her achievement and impact on the music industry. She is considered one of the main names who contributed to the development of punk-influenced pop music, paving the way for the rise of women in this scene. Lavigne grew up in the rural town of Napanee, where she performed in church choirs and talent contests. She went through musical experiences, including a performance with Shania Twain, until signing with Arista Records, which released her debut album, Let Go, in 2002. Supported by the hit singles "Complicated", "Sk8er Boi" and "I'm with You", Let Go achieved great commercial success and sold 16 million copies worldwide. She then released Under My Skin (2004), which became her first album to top the Billboard 200 chart in the United States, selling 10 million copies worldwide. The Best Damn Thing (2007), her third release, also topped the Billboard 200 and spawned "Girlfriend", which became her first song to top the US Billboard Hot 100. Her subsequent studio albums, Goodbye Lullaby (2011), Avril Lavigne (2013), Head Above Water (2019) and Love Sux (2022), respectively, performed positively but less notably, with the latter marking a return to the artist's pop punk sound. With worldwide sales of over 40 million albums and 30 million singles, Lavigne is the fourth most successful Canadian female artist in this category. She has also received eight Grammy nominations and won ten Juno Awards, as well as being the first artist to reach 100 million views on YouTube, with the music video for "Girlfriend". She is also known for having great size and popularity in Asia, especially in Japan, where her first albums were released.