Eighteen-year-old Avril Lavigne always knew that she'd be a star one day. So it's no surprise now that her hit debut single, "Complicated" is rocketing to the top of the charts worldwide. And even with all the massive success and general insanity surrounding Avril these days, she's managed to stay real.

"I don't really care if my clothes are wrinkled or there's a stain on my shirt. Going out on the road, your clothes are dirty." she says simply.


During these past few months, Avril's been criss-crossing the globe promoting her music, performing on television, and even winning awards. Almost as interesting as Avril's current success is her past. Avril grew up in the tiny town of Napanee in Ontario, Canada. The town was so tiny, in fact, that it had a population of only about 5,000. Avril began singing from the very beginning, eager to make herself heard at fairs and in church.

"I always knew since I was really young that I wanted to sing," she said. "I was just born with music in my blood, and I just wanted to do music so bad. I started writing when I was 12. I started teaching myself guitar and what inspires me to write is what I've been through - the relationships I've been in and my opinions."

Avril's first appearance on an actual record came in 1999, when she performed a song for Napanee-based indie producer, Stephen Medd's country-gospel CD. The following year, Avril came back and recorded two more songs for him.

"It was absolutely amazing," he recalls. "The cut you hear on the CD is one take. This is a 14-year-old girl, never been in a studio, walks in like a pro and nailed it. It completely stunned me."

Later that year, Avril continued to make herself known. She made a cassette tape of herself singing along with a Shania Twain song and sent it in to a local contest. Only weeks later, she walked out to a crowded stadium and performed "What Made You Say That" in a duet with Shania herself.

"It was the biggest rush of my life," Avril exclaims. "I walked out on stage and I was the happiest person in the world."

Soon someone did notice Avril. Fabri, a manager who helped bring singer Jenifer McLaren to major-label deals noticed Avril singing at various events.

"The thing that attracted me to wasn't the voice, wasn't the looks, wasn't the songs. It was the attitude, the confidence," he remembers.

Fabri made a videocassette of Avril singing onstage and in her parents' basement and shipped it off to several record labels.

Nettwerk Records vice president Mark Jowett soon met Avril and was completely taken with her, however he does say, "I don't know if she herself had a clear picture of her direction yet. I think her parents liked country quite a lot, and there was a part of her that was attracted to that kind of music."

To help her find a direction for her music, in the summer of 2000 he sent her to work in New York with producer/songwriter Peter Zizzo. The intial result of their time together was a song called, "Why." Although it didn't make the cut for "Let Go," it proved that Avril could hold down both writing and recording music wonderfully.

Ken Krongard, at the time a talent scout with Arista Records, heard Avril and was so impressed with her that he arranged to bring her back to New York to perform for label boss Antonio "L.A." Reid.

Soon after, Avril was signed and had a contract with Arista! She worked with writers and producers in both New York and Los Angeles and over time, worked to develop a sound that was completely her own.

Avril says that she had to fight to prove that she could actually write. "At the beginning they pitched me songs and wanted me to sing other people's songs," she states. "I had to fight to say 'no, I can write my own'. I was only 16 at the time and they probably thought I was crazy but LA Reid (president of Arista) gave me a chance. It was a long process and hopefully the second album won't take that long."

The first song they came up with for the album was "Unwanted." Soon after "Complicated" was also recorded. Within the next several weeks however, Avril's original manager, Fabri was out of the picture. He says he's restricted in what he can say about the split though.

"The way Avril comes across is a lot rawer and hits different emotional chords," Nettwerk president, Mark Jowett, says. "I think (her success) might be because it relates more to what kids actually go through, rather than what kids actually aspire to."

After the June 4th release of "Let Go," many received the album well. Soon it broke into the top ten of the Billboard 200 album chart and has remained there to this date. It's been certified platinum in Canada and triple platinum in the United States.

Avril's now traveling the world, in an endless stream of media appearances, including performances, interviews, and more. But she's still had time to keep writing.

"I write all the time," she said. "That's how I deal with my feelings and emotions. If all of this came to an end, I would still write and sit down with my laptop and work on my songs. It's really important to me and I'm really excited about my second record."

The best is yet to come for Avril, who plans to head out on a tour this Christmas. "I know I'm going to love it!" she exclaims. "I'll get to sleep in the same bed every night. And it will just be fun being with my best friends, my band. It's going to be an amazing experience, performing every night, doing what I love."

Avril took home a MTV Video Music this past August for "Best New Artist in a Video," for "Complicated." "I totally wasn't expecting it," she said after winning. "Today my manager said, 'Shouldn't you at least think about what you're going to say just in case?' And then when they called my name, I was like, 'Uhh.' This is my first video. It's crazy."

Avril's "Complicated" video outfit has also been temporarily inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame for a special exhibit. "I'm like this new kid in this music scene, but at the same time, I'm like, 'Hell yeah, I'll give you my clothes!' "

At the beginning of the year 2002, few people knew who Avril Lavigne was. She burst out into the music scene in May and has remained a chart-topping, outspoken, and down-to-earth figure since then. Avril's poised for worldwide success at this moment, and it will surely come her way.

"This is part of my dream just to be known worldwide. Ever since I've been a little girl it's been my dream and my goal and I want to be known worldwide and want to be able to reach people and have people hear my music and understand what I'm saying, and I want to do something good."