Avril Lavigne first appeared on the musical scene with a grungy tomboy image in 2002, but what was her first song?
Avril Lavigne’s first song was called Can’t Stop Thinking About You, and was ultimately unreleased. She’d penned the track when she was just thirteen or fourteen years old and described it as a “cheesy-cute” song. Listen to Avril’s first song below.
Read on to learn more about Avril Lavigne and her impressive musical career.
It’s Not Complicated
There’s more than a few fans who’d believe Avril Lavigne’s first song was Complicated. They’d be correct – to an extent. The debut single was released in 2002, serving as the lead track on Lavigne’s first album, Let Go.
However, many years before Complicated was released, Lavigne had penned her real first song. She’s admitted in interviews that it was her first piece, and was written about a young crush she had. There’s almost no footage or audio for this track, save for a short, fifteen-second clip. You can see this on YouTube below.
Avril had been singing and performing from a young age. She was reportedly quite a prodigy, with her family claiming she’d been singing since she was just two years old. As she grew up in Canada, she’d sing in church, and participate in karaoke sessions.
Her family massively supported her singing and desire to perform. Her father, Jean-Claude, was a prominent musician, having played bass for several years. He nurtured his daughter’s ability, converting their basement into a music studio and providing her with a series of instruments.
It was at the turn of the century, in 1999, that Avril Lavigne would break into the industry. She won a local competition that awarded her the opportunity to perform with known star Shania Twain. This performance took place in front of a huge crowd, and once it was complete, the offers started rolling in.
Barely one year later, Lavigne was offered a record deal by L.A. Reid, one of the biggest record producers at the time. She was signed to a label called Arista and began working on albums immediately. She was paired with musicians from Canada’s punk rock scene, as the label felt they would complement her tomboy, rocky personality perfectly.
She Said See You Later, Boy
When Avril Lavigne’s debut album released, it was to a massively positive reception. She peaked at number one in the UK, making her the youngest female solo artist to do so at the time. She was just seventeen when the album launched and was already seeing overwhelming triumph.
She’s since become one of the best-selling Canadian artists of all time. Her music has been critically acclaimed, and the artist herself has been widely awarded. She’s received nominations for eight Grammy Awards since she burst onto the scene.
As her sound developed and her style changed, so did her music. While her sound changed somewhat dramatically as the years wore on, Avril retained the punchy, upbeat image she’d started with. Her albums saw nothing but success, and she was in the top ten on the charts with every release.
Avril started expanding on her music, contributing tracks to television and movie productions. The most prominent was the One Piece Film, to which she gave two tracks. When 2020 arrived and performing slowed down for every artist in the world, Avril confirmed she would still be making music into 2021.
Not satisfied with just her musical talent, Lavigne has also dabbled with acting. She’s had roles in some smaller movies but appeared as a supporting character in 2006’s Over The Hedge. In this role, she voiced a young opossum.
Ultimately, Avril Lavigne would become one of the most recognizable female artists in the world. Her songs never ceased to find success, and her fanbase was truly devoted. Her singing and songwriting ability had secured her a career from a young age.
By 2020, Lavigne had released six full studio albums and headlined six full tours. She’d worked very hard to get where she was, and reportedly boasted a net worth of fifty million dollars. She was known as a dedicated activist, supporting a range of worthy causes and organizations.
Among these causes were Amnesty International, War Child, and Make-A-Wish. Lavigne reportedly enjoyed her philanthropic work massively, taking special time out to help those less fortunate. Despite her success and millions upon millions of sales, she still remained down to earth.