next

The
Truth
About
Avril
Lavigne
She’s growing
up. On her
own terms. In
her own way.
Elio Iannacci Jacket, Alexander
Wang. Tank top,
finds out what Donna Karan, Holt
Renfrew. Pant with

Canada’s super- suspenders, Lip

Service, Hells Belles.
Necklace, Fabrice;
star “Girlfriend” bracelets, Diesel and
H&M, belt, Brave

is really all about Beltworks.

Opposite page:
Photography by Jacket, Alexander
Wang. Dress, Lip
Max Abadian Service, Hells Belles.
For where-to-buy,
see Stylesource.
Photography, Max
Abadian; hair and
makeup, Christian
Bier; styling, Rita
Liefhebber; fashion
director, Elizabeth
Cabral.

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got to be true to myself.” Her drive and people don’t like me is because I’m a
determination is front and centre and bold, strong character. My personality
she’s not willing to settle for second best. is what-you-see-is-what-you-get and
If she’s not “feeling” it, be it onstage, in very honest. I’m not a bullsh***er and I
an interview or on the set of a shoot, can’t lie. So I’ve always been really real.
she’ll let you know ASAP (she loved the Sometimes, I come across like a bitch,
clothes on the FLARE set, by the way, but I am a strong person. I’d rather be
saying, “I appreciate that you guys didn’t strong than weak.”
try to change my style”).
If speaking up means making a few She’s actually a fair but
mistakes along the way, then so be it. firm boss to work for.
The point is, Lavigne has always tried to One of her longtime musical collabora-
stay in control of her career no matter tors, Evan Taubenfeld (who helped Avril
what crossed her path and, suffice it to write more than a dozen songs over the
say, she’s done a pretty good job of keep- past six years), says that working with
ing herself ahead of the game (five hits Lavigne has been “more of a learning
icture it: you’re a 17-year- that reached No. 1 worldwide). In the experience for me than her.” A stud-
old singer-songwriter who’s been bust- interest of providing the full picture of ied musician for more than 15 years,
ing her chops trying to get noticed, then, what and who Avril Lavigne is, here are a Taubenfeld insists: “Even back when
faster than you can say “Complicated,” few facts about her you need to know. she was 17, she [embodied] the identity
you have the biggest hit in the world. and the flavour that is imprinted in her
Money starts pouring in and you’re pro- Avril’s career was not music—her personality is the DNA and
pelled from small-town living to the high handed to her on a soul of her sound. We all just helped
life. Soon, you start demanding imported silver platter. her find it, but she knows exactly what
bottled water and more designer labels While most teens her age spent the days she wants.”
than a department store can stock, and shopping in malls, she was working them.
you get it all. In fact, you get pretty much Lavigne toured about 20 Canadian malls She is not expecting her
anything you want, whenever you want to promote her debut recording, Let Go. first child (contrary to blog
it. You ultimately decide to semiretire at Her second and third albums didn’t come reports).
20, opting to put out an album whenever easy, either. Under My Skin, which sold And with her current world tour in the
you feel like it and get people to do all more than 17 million copies worldwide, works—including headlining at California’s
the work and set your career on coast. and her latest disc, The Best Damn GirlFrenzy (a rockier Lilith Fair–like all-
Sound good to you? Well, it’s not the Thing, which debuted at No. 1, were the female concert with Sheryl Crow and
Avril Lavigne story. Not even close. The result of two world tours and thousands Fiona Apple)—odds are she’s not plan-
truth is a lot more complicated. of interviews. ning on having children any time soon.
Yes, Avril Ramona Lavigne Whibley did
have her first hit at 17, scooped up eight She can already release a She never lets anyone
Grammy nominations before she hit age greatest hits CD with only control her image.
20, then bought a house and married a three albums to her credit. “I didn’t want to wear pretty clothes,
rock star (Sum 41’s Deryck Whibley) Besides her two latest hits, “Girlfriend” so I didn’t. I wasn’t allowed to do cer-
before turning 22, but things were not and “When You’re Gone” (and co-pen- tain magazines because they wanted
easy. To get to where she is now (23 and ning one of Kelly Clarkson’s biggest hits, to put me in their clothes, but I’m glad
living in a mansion in Hollywood), she “Breakaway”), Avril has 10 singles that I did what I wanted to do, and it’s a
had to go for months without seeing fam- have hit the Billboard top-20. good thing.”
ily, friends or a home-cooked meal due
to a hectic touring/promo schedule that She’s doing a Canadian She’s a leader onstage
lasted more than three years. The gruel- tour next year. and in the studio. Not a
ing schedule had Lavigne crisscrossing “This year, I’m playing European festi- follower.
the Atlantic 10 times over and endur- vals, but I’ll be in Canada in 2008. I’ve One of her main musical producers, Dr.
ing a life that few teens could deal with. created my set lists and I’ve been think- Luke, who has worked with the likes of
Between the chaos of it all, she learned ing about my backdrops, staging, light- Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson and Pink,
how to oversee, approve and supervise ing and who I want onstage with me. I says that collaborating with Lavigne is
everything with her name on it. For feel like my show has only ever been not a one-way street. “When you’re
example, before stepping onto the set good—now, I want it to be awesome. I’m writing with Avril Lavigne, she’s the
of FLARE’s photo shoot, she requested never satisfied, but the more experience boss. She’s never filling in the blanks—
to see—and approve—every piece of I have, the better I get.” she’s coming up with full-blown con-
clothing she was going to wear. cepts. She knows what kind of record
Coat, Prada,
Some might call it “difficult” behaviour, She has a theory on the she wants to make, just like she knows
Holt Renfrew. but she disagrees completely, stating, misconceptions about her. how she wants to style herself. She has
Sweater, H&M. “My image is what sets me apart—I’ve “I think part of the reason why some a vision, and it’s hers, wholeheart- >
Bracelet, Gas,
Fabrice.

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edly. The only reason she is a target the fan’s choice award because it meant represent me who are used to working
for people like Perez Hilton is that she so much to me. I’ve been through so with artists.”
doesn’t kiss ass.” much sh** from the press, but I’ve been
working so hard for five years and the She works hard for the
She looks up to Yoko Ono people picked me anyway. That really money. Her idol says so.
and John Lennon. touched me.” Canadian DJ/performer Peaches, cited
“ ‘Imagine’ is one of the best songs as one of Avril’s favourite artists (who
ever written—it has so much meaning. She hasn’t had much man reportedly inspired the song “I Don’t
I was proud to be able to cover it [for trouble—contrary to her Have to Try” off The Best Damn Thing),
the recent CD Instant Karma: The I-hate-bad-boys songs. has nothing but good things to say about
Amnesty International Campaign to “I didn’t have a ton of awful relation- Lavigne. “She is a huge superstar and
Save Darfur]. John and Yoko are the ships. I’ve had fallings-out with friends, she is a young girl, but she’s also a hard
only ones who have ever really done but I think any experience—whatever worker,” says the Toronto-born musician.
anything so [outrageous]. I couldn’t level, whatever it is—can make for a “Avril has to be. Musicians aren’t living
really see myself letting photographers good song. ‘I Can Do Better’ is about the life. She has to be present and on at
into Deryck’s and my bedroom, but I that; it’s really an empowering song. It’s all times. I’m glad she was influenced by
could see myself taking a stand for peace about moving on from a bad friendship me; it brought more attention to my song.
and love. I really admire what they did or situation and not just settling for the All of a sudden, half a million people are
and how involved they were in creating sake of settling.” listening to my music because of her.”
peace. It takes a certain kind of person
and a lot of sacrifice.” She knows where her She doesn’t listen to heavy
money goes. Every penny. metal all day. She likes
She doesn’t like anyone Last year, Canadian Business magazine pop, too.
messing with the remote added Avril to its annual Celebrity Power “I have the new Nelly Furtado album.
control while she’s watch- List, a ranking of Canadian actors with I love the songs ‘Say It Right’ and ‘All
ing television. clout in Hollywood (Lavigne voiced one Good Things.’ I’ve seen Christina Aguilera
“Lost is my favourite show, and I like 24. of the characters in the animated flick in concert, too. I love Rihanna’s song
I love MuchMusic even though I don’t Over the Hedge and also made a cameo ‘Umbrella,’ and Fergie is cool.”
live [in Canada] because they actually in Fast Food Nation). Tina Kennedy, a
play videos, and MTV doesn’t play them member of her management team (along She’s still a Sum 41 groupie.
anymore. When I was younger, it was with Terry McBride) for four years, says, “Deryck has an amazing show. You don’t
so fun to come home from school, put “Avril is very involved in every aspect of even have to know his music because
MuchMusic on and have videos playing her career—including her finances. She he’s just such a good frontman,” she
all night.” approves everything.” says, beaming about her man. “But the
same goes for Billie Joe from Green
She’s cool with seeing old She learned how to sing in Day—they’re just both so good. It’s
photos of herself. church. always good for me to see what other
“I love seeing the ‘Complicated’ and “I sang so many Christmas songs in performers do. I can always learn—like
‘Sk8er Boi’ videos because I was so dif- Christmas concerts when I was young. what microphone stand they have or
ferent then. I acted like such a tomboy Those church plays and musicals really how they talk to the crowd.”
and was so tough inside. Not so much developed my voice because the songs
now. I mean, it’s still with me a bit, but were good training. I scream a lot on my She’s got a love/hate/
I’ve grown up.” records, but I have a new song on The love thing about living in
Best Damn Thing called ‘Innocence’ Hollywood.
She was not born in that showcases my vocal performance.” “I still hate the paparazzi, but I love the
Napanee, Ont. weather and I love the restaurants and
Avril was actually born in Belleville, Ont., She had a recent go at the shopping on Melrose.”
but her parents moved to Napanee when modelling, but it didn’t suit
she was five. She did grow up in Napanee her. At all. She has no complaints
and, when she goes back, she visits her Although her mother, Judy Lavigne, told about life. Absolutely
favourite pizza place, La Pizzeria. “They us that her daughter has “always been none.
have a fan book for me where everyone photogenic—even as a little girl” while “Ever since I was 16, I didn’t give a damn
signs something, and they give it to me on the set for FLARE’s photo shoot, about what anyone thought. No one’s
when it gets filled.” Avril recently discovered that model- opinion mattered to me and I just went
ling wasn’t her scene: “I used to be with out and did my own thing. I stuck to
She’s learned how to be Ford Models. I signed up with them my guns, followed my gut and did what
emotional. And she’s fine so they could deal with any endorse- I wanted to do, and it worked. I don’t
with it. Really. ment offers, but I parted with them after believe in regrets and I never will.” ■
“I bawled my eyes out at the MuchMusic a year because I’m not a model—I’m Want Avril’s cover look? Get it at
Video Awards [this year] when I won an artist—and I need people who flare.com/beautyshot

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