Have you heard of Avril Lavigne?
If you haven't, Avril, canadian and standing at 5ft2, is famous for her dark eye liner makeup and punk look and songs. She doesn't smile for the camera and she's someone with an attitude.
I have discovered this gem only in 2004, though that's a bit late as her first album was released in 2002. I was touched, serenaded and captivated by her crystal clear and powerful vocals and most importantly, her song composing abilities. Avril was only 14 when she started song writing.
"He wasn't", "Complicated", "My happy ending", "I'm with you", "Losing grip", "Don't Tell Me", "Nobody's fool" are some of my favourite songs. I didn't know I would ever like rock music till I heard Avril's songs, and Avril's lovely voice. Avril has proved that rock music could appeal to people like me who used to listen to pop and sentimental songs only. I always felt that rock music is rowdy, loud and noisy. Avril's charming voice has soothed the rowdy essence and are very catchy but most importantly, her song lyrics made sense. Avril's songs have reflected teenage situations like broken family, unhappy relationship with a loser boyfriend, rebellious teenager nature, struggle to find one's identity, friendship problems, hence appealing to many teenagers and even adults like myself. I liked her songs as she had brought her message across clearly. I have felt a teenger's frustrations, confusion, and anger. I could related to what I have gone through when I was a teenger.
In one of her songs, "He wasn't",
"there's not much going on today.
I'm really bored, it's getting late.
What happened to my Saturday?
Monday's coming, the day I hate.
Sit on the bed alone, staring at the phone.
He wasn't what I wanted, what I thought, no.
He wouldn't even open up the door.
He never made me feel like I was special.
He isn't really what I'm looking for."
When I was in sec school, I was with a guy whom wasn't what I've wanted and I really do want to break off with him. However, I was immatured, and indecisive and things dragged on as I didn't have the courage to end this relationship. I were always in a dilemna, picking up the phone to dial his number and hanging up the phone once I heard his voice. I never had to strength to call off this relationship.
In one of her songs "Nobody's fool", she said this
" If you're trying to turn me into someone else
Its easy to see I'm not down with that
I'm not nobody's fool"
Avril had a strong personality, she had refused to let anyone change her punk look or would she even care about make up and all the girly stuff. However, she is still human like us. If we could have the same teens problems as Avril, it is also mandane for Avril to reach maturity. Our punk princess, Avril has signed a modelling contract with Ford Models and also endorsing the french brand, Chanel. That would mean abandoning her old punk look. This news shocked the rock music industry and Avril's hardcore fans.
I was very fortunate to attend her world tour; Bonez concert in April 2, 2005, held in Indoor Stadium, exactly 1 year ago. That night, in her usual punk attire, black tank top and army 3/4 pants, she looked small on the huge stage but showed us her stuff when she rocked the entire indoor stadium with her powerful voice and rock songs. We became wild and danced while she sang Sk8ter boi. Even dads danced along with their daughters. It could Avril's first and last concert in Singapore. As stated in one of her interviews, she said she would never sing "My happy ending" again as it was too dark. Personally, I feel that she has moved to a new stage in life and is facing a different set of problems now. If she is no longer a teenager, no longer feeling the same as when she wrote those songs, she could have lost the power to sing those songs with the angry teen thoughts. She wouldn't sound convincing now.
Avril has grown up, and so should her fans. After her engagement with her fiance, she has dropped her punk look for a feminine look. From teens to twenties, and from punk to fashion. Avril's feminism was in her all this while but was only released as she reached 21. I felt that her transformation was for the better. As a celebrity, she has influences on her fans. When she was a punk, her fans tried to dress like her. Now, it's her duty to bring across a new message. She has grown up, no longer a teen, and have a new direction in life. Avril couldn't be trapped in her angry teen mode forever. Nature has taken its course and like all of us, Avril has became an adult. Hence, she has moved on and so should the rest of her fans. As one matures, these changes are mandatory.
Avril looked elegant in her Chanel clothes and makeup, and is so much prettier than the past and most importantly, she looked a lot happier. This change had 2 effects on me. I felt sad that I might not hear her sing her old rock songs again but it made me look forward to her new advancement in her career, Hollywood. Avril would be starring in 3 movies. She would definitely handle her acting career well and would probably have a different set of fans. My admirations for her have grown as she possesed the courage to make changes and she dared to make choices, even though she might lose a large fraction of her existing fans. I wish her all the best!
These are two articles which I have taken from alavigne.org. It features Avril's old and new look.
Avril's old look
Avril's new look 1
Avril's new look 2