Notes

Avril Lavigne - Building Blocks
Building Blocks
After a hiatus battling Lyme disease, Avril Lavigne is back with a power ballad that veers away from her signature alt-pop hooks and towards her old-school, piano melodies. It's an odd combination of bad-girl Avril and old-school Avril, but it also feels like a personal triumph.

When she first came to prominence, Lavigne had the reputation of being a hard-as-nails singer who didn't quite fit into the mainstream pop scene. Her smoky vocals and crunchy guitar riffs were an antidote to the overly-marketed and bland pop princesses that flooded the airwaves in the 2000s. Her music video for "Complicated," a song about a broken heart that made use of smudged eyeliner and skateboards, further positioned her as a rebel, as did the accompanying music video, which saw her perform from atop a car as a massive mosh pit erupted.

The song reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and was her highest-charting single in twelve countries around the world, including Australia and Canada. Its follow-up, "Sk8er Boi," proved that Lavigne could be a rock star too, and she became a fan favorite for her ability to mix punk-leaning rap into her songs.

In 2010, she established the Avril Lavigne Foundation, which supports individuals with Lyme disease or other serious illnesses or disabilities. Its beneficiaries include Center for Courageous Kids, Easter Seals, Lyme Light Foundation, Make-A-Wish and Special Olympics.

She has collaborated with Special Olympics twice before, and she performed at the opening ceremonies of the World Games in Abu Dhabi last year. This year, she is working with the organization to help raise awareness of Lyme disease and promote the treatment of it.

avrillavignemerch , Head Above Water, was a response to her struggle with Lyme disease, and it showcased her vulnerability while staying true to her sound as a pop artist. The title track was a power ballad that revealed her struggles with the illness, and it veered away from her sex-centric pop and into a more spiritual and honest tone.

The song was a hit, and she was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2010 Grammy Awards. It's one of her most popular and memorable hits, and it remains a staple on her live shows.

While the album didn't do as well as her previous effort, it did earn a spot on iTunes' "Top 50 Christian Songs" list and earned critical praise for Lavigne's vocal chops, especially on songs such as "Here's to Never Growing Up" and "How You Remind Me." She also covered Nickelback's "Hot," which lent itself to the more bluesy side of the singer's sound.

This softer side of Lavigne's sound was clear throughout her 2010 release, which featured a slew of collaborations with other rock artists. She worked with Nickelback's Chad Kroeger and Boys Like Girls' Martin Johnson, among others.

With her latest album, Avril Lavigne has come a long way from the days of "Complicated." Instead of relying on smoky, angsty voiceovers and guitar-leaning riffs to get her name out there, she has turned her lyrical talent on its head with a strong and honest tone that leaves behind her glam-rock past and embraces the vulnerable.
Read More: https://www.avrillavignemerch.com/