Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

Avril Lavigne is a Canadian singer and songwriter born on September 27, 1984. She is recognized for her role in popularizing pop-punk music and for paving the way for female-driven, punk-influenced pop music in the early 2000s. Lavigne signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records at age 16. Her debut album, Let Go (2002), became the best-selling album of the 21st century by a Canadian artist and produced singles such as "Complicated" and "Sk8er Boi." These tracks emphasized a skate punk persona and earned her titles including "Pop-Punk Queen" and "Teen-Pop Slayer." Her second album, Under My Skin (2004), was her first to reach the top of the Billboard 200 chart in the United States and sold 10 million copies worldwide. Her third album, The Best Damn Thing (2007), reached number one in seven countries and featured the single "Girlfriend," which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Lavigne has received ten Juno Awards and has been nominated for eight Grammy Awards.