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From early childhood onwards, Avril
Lavigne always stood out among the 5000 residents of Napanee, Ontario,
where she was born. At first distinguished from her female peers because
of her affinity for the baseball field in the summer and the hockey rink
in the winter, Avril became recognizable in the community on the basis of
her musical performances. By age 10, she had graduated from the local
church choir to the regional fairgrounds, singing country music in
competitions. Three years later, Avril began making her impact outside of
Napanee, as her vocal skill won her the grand prize in a radio station
contest: a trip to the city of Ottawa, to perform a duet in concert with
another Ontario native, country music star Shania Twain.
By the time Avril reached high school, her vocal prowess seemed rivaled
only by her ability to play the guitar, and she began sending videotapes
of her stage performances to labels and management companies throughout
North America. Following a host of rejections, her talent eventually
caught the eyes of Nettwerk Management, an organization that fostered
other such Canadian acts as Sarah McLachlan, Sum 41 and Barenaked Ladies.
Nettwerk arranged for Avril to fly down to New York City to meet with some
other songwriters and begin work on a demo tape. As it turned out, Avril
was signed before she even had a chance to complete the demo. An Arista
Records representative came to visit Avril at her studio, and was
sufficiently impressed with her voice to return with Arista CEO Antonio
"L.A." Reid, who immediately signed the then 16-year-old to a contract.
After briefly returning to Canada, Avril made the move to Manhattan to
embark on her professional career, accompanied by her older brother Matt
as an escort. Although she had been signed to Arista strictly as a
vocalist, Avril balked at the notion of singing someone else's songs and
insisted on having a hand in the writing process. When she failed to click
with any New York-based songwriters, Avril made her third move of the
year, this time to Los Angeles. It was on the West Coast that she met
producer/songwriter Cliff Magness, with whom she immediately developed a
rapport. The two began composing together, and within a few months' time,
Avril's debut album had begun to take shape.
Avril's first single, "Complicated," was released in the early spring of
2002, and immediately began scaling the charts across the continent. By
the summer, the track had reached the top spot among Canadian singles, and
was in the top 15 on the Billboard Adult 40 list. The popularity of
"Complicated" paved the way for the success of Avril's first full-length
CD, Let Go, which debuted at 8 on the Billboard charts in June 2002.
While Avril's vocal range and high-energy musical style has brought her
comparisons ranging from Alanis Morissette to Pink, she has been adamant
in positioning herself as a unique artist, one who runs counter to the
mainstream. This persona has been nurtured thanks to the lyrics of such
songs as "Sk8er Boi," wherein Avril is none too subtle in voicing her
anti-conformist stance, and through her public remarks regarding other
female musicians, notably Britney Spears.
It is a formula which, to date, has worked like a charm: for a debut
artist, Avril boasts a staggering fan base, and the media interest
surrounding this young singer seems far from receding. Conjoin this
one-of-a-kind personality with a memorable voice and obvious musical
talents, and it seems as if Avril may be in the spotlight for some time to
come. |
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Karaoke Revolution Presents:
American Idol (2007) (VG) ("Breakaway")
Eragon (2006) (writer: "Keep Holding On") (performer: "Keep Holding
On")
"Cold Case" (1 episode, 2005)
- The Promise (2005) TV Episode (performer: "Sk8er Boi")
"Tru Calling" (1 episode, 2005)
- The Perfect Storm (2005) TV Episode (writer: "My Happy Ending")
(performer: "My Happy Ending")
Searching for David's Heart (2004) (TV) ("Slipped Away")
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004) (performer: "SpongeBob
Theme")
Wimbledon (2004) (performer: "Mobile")
... aka Plus belle victoire, La (France)
Going the Distance (2004) (writer: "Losing Grip" (Live)) (performer:
"Losing Grip" (Live))
... aka National Lampoon's Going the Distance (USA: DVD box title)
The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004) (writer:
"Breakaway", "I Always Get What I Want") (performer: "I Always Get
What I Want")
Karaoke Revolution Volume 2 (2004) (VG) ("I'm With You")
New York Minute (2004/I) (writer: "Complicated")
"Scrubs" (1 episode, 2004)
- My Tormented Mentor (2004) TV Episode (writer: "I'm With You")
(performer: "I'm With You")
Karaoke Revolution (2003) (VG) ("Complicated")
"Joan of Arcadia" (1 episode, 2003)
- Pilot (2003) TV Episode (performer: "Tomorrow")
The Medallion (2003) (writer: "Mobile") (performer: "Mobile")
American Wedding (2003) (writer: "I Don't Give") (performer: "I
Don't Give")
... aka American Pie: The Wedding (Australia) (Europe: English
title) (Singapore: English title) (South Africa: English title) (UK)
... aka American Pie - Jetzt wird geheiratet (Germany)
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003) (writer: "Nobody's
Fool") (performer: "Nobody's Fool")
Bruce Almighty (2003) (writer: "I'm with You") (performer: "I'm with
You")
"Smallville" (2 episodes, 2002-2003)
... aka Smallville Beginnings (USA: rerun title)
... aka Smallville: Superman the Early Years (UK: promotional title)
- Accelerate (2003) TV Episode (performer: "I'm With You")
- Heat (2002) TV Episode (performer: "Tomorrow")
Just Married (2003) (performer: "Mobile")
... aka Voll verheiratet (Germany)
"Without a Trace" (1 episode, 2003)
... aka W.A.T (USA: short title)
- Maple Street (2003) TV Episode ("Nobody's Fool")
"Birds of Prey" (1 episode, 2002)
... aka BOP (USA: promotional abbreviation)
- Prey for the Hunter (2002) TV Episode (performer: "Anything But
Ordinary")
Sweet Home Alabama (2002) (writer: "Falling Down") (performer:
"Falling Down") |
