Interviews Articals

Catch a Rising Star - ElleGirl
Compared to most teens, I guess you could say I'm in a pretty different situation. I grew up in a remote Canadian town that's smaller than most American high schools. My parents are Christian, so I spent a lot of time singing gospel in church as a little kid. It was then that people first noticed I had this huge voice. I taught myself to play guitar, and discovered songwriting as therapy.
School gave me an inferiority complex, because I didn't do well. I was always getting in trouble, getting sent to the principal's office, getting suspen--well, a couple of times I was supsended. My teachers made me feelin dumb, but school isn't the only measure of intellegence or talent. I'm 17 and I can write songs -- I'm not dumb.
So I decided to drop out and move to New York and then L.A for awhile and try and make it as a singer-songwriter. I went through major culture shock. I was pretty scared walking down the street, seeing so many differences so fast.
In L.A. I was working in a studio when this guy L.A. Reid (the head of Arista) heard my stuff, I guess, and played it for some people at the label. But I hate it when people ask me, "Who discovered you?" I discovered me. I sent my stuff out, and a lot of people heard it and eventually I got this contract with Arista and now my first album, Let Go, is coming out in June.
I still have my room back home, so I guess that's where I live officially, but really I live in different hotels in different cities out of suitcases. I miss home a lot. I talk to my mom every single day. I really miss my brother and sister. I was home for Christmas and I saw my best friends who are totally psyched about what's happening to me. I also saw my ex-boyfriend, who dumped me for no good reason. That was kinda cool, though, 'cause you gotta wonder if he regrets it now.
My parents were pretty strict, and when I was younger we fought a lot. But now that I have to make rules and set curfews, I appreciate it because I still use their rules to take better care of myself. For example, I work with a lot of adults. I have to listen and make compromises. I can't throw little-girl tantrums and like, run to my (hotel) room and slam the door.
The thing I miss most about being a regular teenager is just having fun. Like I'd love to scarf pizza and poutine (that's french fries with curd cheese and gravy) with my friends, but I can't have dairy because it's bad for my voice. I have to worry about stuff like that now. I have to be a good girl.
I have to fight to keep my image really me. Today, I rejected some gorgeous publicity shots because they just didn't look like me. I won't wear skanky clothes that show off my booty, my belly, or boobs. I have a great body. I could be Britney. I could be better than Britney. And if I were selling my body, I would wear that stuff, but I'm selling my music. When I first started out, producers wanted me to sing other people's songs. I was like, no -- something someone else wrote doesn't mean anything to me.
Some people see my age and think I'm just another "pop chick". I want people to look past my age. My lead guitarist is 18 and my drummer is 21 -- and they don't have attitude about working for me. They say all the time, "You call the shots." They even laugh about the fact that they tell their friends, "My boss is 17."
Of course I'd date them both because they're hot! I'll probably crush on every boy in my band, but there's no way I'm going to make a move on any of them. I have to work with these guys and there's no way I'm going to mess that up.
Right now, I'm auditioning bassists. At today's audition, we goofed off to make to make the situation relaxing. We all relate to how nerve-wracking the process can be. The drummer threw his sticks up in the air, and the guitarist joked about how he audtioned for Limp Bizkit for, "like 35 seconds" before they kicked him out.
On the road, you hear these backstage stories; like, I've heard about one star who refuses to walk through the hall unless everyone goes in their dressing rooms first. I think that's bullshit. If I become hugely famous, I don't want to get a friggin' ego. I'd hope the people around me would kick my butt if I did! That's why I love Alanis Morissette. She's real and true, and doesn't have a head on about being so famous.
Still, it's pretty funny to see all these adults running around kissing my butt. It's their job -- I mean, you gotta keep the artist happy, right? But I just watch sometimes and crack up. I deserve to have my butt kissed -- but because I'm a human being, not because I have a good signing voice. I'm treated the way all people should be treated. Everyone deserves to have their butt kissed!

Smash Hits Australia November 2002: Uncomplicated

Smash Hits, Australia November 2002

Uncomplicated!

No nonsense, no pretence and no over-styling. Avril Lavigne is about as straightforward as pop stars come. Smash Hits talk to the No.1 star about leaving school, sk8er bois and false boobs!

Avril, you're an overnight sensation! How's it feel to have everyone talking about you?

It's a weird thing. I don't really read that much stuff about me, cos it's a bit distracting sometimes, especially if it's negative. And also, a lot of the times they get stuff wrong and you go, "Oh no, I didn't say it like that."

Does it feel strange to recieve accolades and praise, and top charts worldwide?

It's truly unbelievable! I went to Japan a while ago, and I've never been there before and I didn't know too much about it, but I had so many fans waiting there. I was followed all day - they hung around the lobby and showered me with presents - and it took a long time to sign autographs cos they're all so polite and bow and stuff. I played an awesome show - it was huge and they were rocking out and jumping, and I was told they're a tough crowd. It was so cool

Are you prepared for the scrutiny that comes with being a pop star?

No. This is definitely not a normal feeling. You have to enter with a good head and be prepared. I like to be aware that things are gonna happen and that it happens to everybody. There's a ton of people who actually like me, so I focus on the,

Are you shy?

You know what, I'm not - but sometimes I am. Sometimes I get nervous, but then again I can be that wild kid jumping around being the loudest in the room. I mean everyone goes through different emotions. I'm not gonna be hyper 24/7. You don't wanna see me drink Coke, though - I don't shut up! I can't drink coffee or eat chocolate either cos I get really loud.

You look totally cool and natural - is that you or have you been styled in any way?

No, I don't get styled. I wear clothes that are comfortable, that I like. I can't say that I go shopping anymore, I don't cos I can't anymore. I have a stylist, but she doesn't work as a stylist. She just gets me the clothes I like. Most artists have stylists who decide what style they should wear. The style I have is completly me. I don't wanna go onstage and sell sex, I wanna sell my music. When you're in this situation, especially being a girl, you have all kinds of clothes picked for you, you have people style you, make you beatiful and I'm just like "Fuck that, I'll wear my own clothes and do my own hair."

Were you a tomboy growing up?

Totally! I have an older brother that I played hockey with. We went camping and fishing and hunting. I ride skateboard too.

Your image and attitude seem to reflect a hard upbringing in a rough neighbourhood, but growing up in Napanee was pretty safe and quaint, wasn't it?

I grew up in a good home. I don't think I come across that rough, really. I come from a good family, but I guess sometimes my attitude comes across and that's just because I don't feel like taking crap from people.

What's the worst trouble you've gotten into?

I got suspended from school a couple of times and I got kicked out of class - for talking and not doing my homework and throwing shit around the room or something.

You didn't like school much...

No, I hated it! I'm glad to be rid of it!

But you learn stuff in school. Are you against that too?

Not at all, and I'm not going around promoting "drop out of school" like I did. My situation was different. I was in grade 11 and I was offered a record contract and that's what I've been working towards all my life, so I grabbed the opportinity and decided to leave school. I'm glad that I did. I don't have a tutor either. I just quit.

So if you hadn't made it in music, you would've ended up as trailer trash?

Ha, ha, I dunno about that. Yeah, maybe. Before, I thought about being a cop. Then I decided not to. I have a firm sense of justice, though. I think everyone wants to be a cop at one point.

What's the difference between you, a girl from a small town in Canada, and a similar teen from LA, both trying to break into the music business?

I was kinda sheltered and didn't know much about anything. This is not supposed to happen to a girl from a small town in Canada. I didn't even know what a record deal was, let alone a publishing deal. I wanted to make a CD, but I didn't know how it was done. But I was always very motivated, I was always performing and making a name for myself - that lead to me meeting people in the business. I sang everywhere I could. I was very well-known around home. Everyone knew me as the singer girl.

One of those occasions was singing with Shania Twain, is that right?

When I was 14, I won a radio station competition and the first prize was to sing with Shania onstage. It was amazing! When I first started, I used to sing in church and I grew up in a Christian home and my parents fed me the songs. They said, "Do these songs," when I moved on to secular music. They liked country like Shania and Dixie Chicks. Back then, I was the girl next door, and when I sang at fairs, the bands would only play country songs, so I sang country songs. When I started writing, it came out harder. There was no particular artist who inspired me. This style was just something I naturally wanted to do.

Do you have a boyfriend?

No, I don't. But I want a rock boy! I want a little rock star. I want a guy that's an artist, someone who writes and plays guitar, and understands me.

There are rumours that you're seeing one of your guitar players...

Really? Which one of them? Ha,ha that's so weird. I heard that I had a crush on all of the guys in the band, and yeah, I've said they're good looking and hot. But I haven't had a crush on the whole band.

Have you ever really been in love?

Uh, yeah, once. When I was younger. It didn't work out.

Reading the lyrics to your new single, Sk8er Boi, could that song be about you, even if you sing about a guy?

Wow, yeah, totally! That's not what I intended to write about, but it ended up like that. I'm like ther sk8er boi, but a girl. I just wrote about what I say in high school and how people treated each other and I made that into a story. The message is be true to yourself and don't try to please other people. You're the one who needs to be happy.

Is the prospect of making a lot of money appealing to you?

No. All I know is that I wanna live in a decent house and sleep in a clean bed, I'll be happy.

Would it be a strain to become a role model to young girls?

They already dress up like me - they've got my shoes and stuff. I don't feel I have to act a certain way just because I may influence people. I'm not gonna change, that would be blasphemy. That's what I'm about - I'm about making myself happy!

(End of interview)

They also have this other interview, in the same magazine, same page, but it's all about her and Britney Spears.

"I'm no Britney!"

Singers like Avril and Michelle Branch are constantly being compared to pop princesses like Britney and Christina. Avril tells us what she thinks of her manufactured counterparts...

Are you the antidote to Britney and Christina?

What do you mean?

Well, if they're the poison, are you the antidote?

I don't know. I think people are getting tired of the Britney format. It's not normal, it's not real. It's very fake and people find that hard to relate to. I try to stay away from all of that and be as normal as possible.

Do they have any redeeming qualities?

Totally! They're both beautiful girls and Christina can really sing. Britney knows how to dance. I can't say Britney has a beautiful, amazing voice - I've never heard it properly. She never sings onstage, she just lip syncs. I would never do playback. Even if I had a sore throat, I'd suck it up and cut it anyway. I jump around onstage, but I still sing. Who wants to listen to the CD when you see the artist perform? The fun thing with the live thing is that you may hear a different lyric, a different version, some jamming. I change the songs, add little things and stuff.

You've said "I have a great body! I could be Britney!" Are you under pressure to reveal more of your body like she does?

Well, they messed that up, I didn't say it like that. If I wanted to, if any girl wanted to, she can work out that hard and get styled and look like Britney if they wanted. Have new boobs put in or whatever. All I meant was that if I wanted to, I have the opportunity to be like that in front of the cameras and wear those clothes. But I don't want to. Obviously, I have a decent body, I mean it's not like I'm... well, I'm 18! I was never under any pressure to reveal more skin by my label or management, but at photo shoots, people would want me to wear certain clothes and once they tried to put me in high heel shoes and I'm like, "No!"

Cosmo Girl UK
October 2002
Why should I care about Avril Lavigne?
Because at 17 things singer/songwriter and self-proclaimed skater punk has already taken her native Canada by storm. Her debut album, Let Go, has gone platinum in the US and after one listen to the highly contagious new single Complicated, it's hard not to see why. This girl is going to be huge!
At just 17?
Well believe it or not, she's something of a veteran. "I've been performing since I was two, and a couple of years ago, I started making a name for myself. This producer asked me to work with him and that's how Arista heard about me. Then things started to flip out! I left Canada at 15 and haven't looked back since!"
And she's a rock chick? Yes siree! "I was born to rock 'n' roll," trills Avril. "I definitely see myself as a rock chick and when people refer to me as a pop chick, I'm like, 'Nooo!' My favorite bands are rock bands like Blink 182 and Sum 41 but people tend to compare me to Alanis Morrissette. I think that's because we're both Canadian and have long hair!" she jokes.
So she writes all her own material?
She certainly does. "I started writing when I was twelve just after I taught myself to play the guitar," she reveals. "At first proving to the record company that I could write was touch. They tried offering me other people's songs to record, and I had to fight and say, 'No, I can write my own.' Thankfully they took a chance on m. My lyrics are real and honest - I just splurge all my feelings out on paper!"
So what's Complicated all about?
It's not about anyone in particular," she admits. "It's just a song about life, people being fake, and relationships. There's another song on the album called Losing Grip, which is about an ex. He just didn't give me what I needed emotionally. Luckily, I'm over it now, and hey, I managed to get a good song out of it!"
And she reckons she has what it takes to crack the UK?
"I hope so," she says modestly. "I came over to the UK for the first time in July to play a gig - it sold out even though I hadn't released anything yet, which was just incredible! I like the UK and in a couple of years I'd like to be established here. Especially since you guys have the best fish and chips in the world!"