As a teen during the early 2000s, you might remember the ride home after picking up Avril Lavigne’s debut album, Let Go, from the store. Staring long and hard at the cover—where a young Lavigne stands, arms crossed and pouting at the intersection of Canal and Broadway, wearing a wistful yet stern mug, evoking the feeling that you and her were in it together. That feeling was made ever more palpable by the emotions brought to surface by songs like “Complicated.” Yup, you know the one. It introduced you to heartbreak before you knew heartbreak’s eye color.

Lavigne did not remain solely dark and moody forever. Her career later saw injections of pink—in photos, in her hair, and in many ways, her music. Songs like “Girlfriend” and “What the Hell” created a space for girlish rage in pop punk music, a thematic soundscape and tradition carried on by artists like Paramore, Olivia Rodrigo, and her most recent tour mate, Royal & the Serpent. 

This past summer, nearly 22 years since her debut, a now quite grown-up Lavigne released her first Greatest Hits album. It covers the non-basic basics, reintroducing fan favorites and deep cuts from her storied career. The singer’s North American tour brought those songs to life again, reimagined for a crowd of both OG and newbie fans. Wondering what it must feel like for a mainstay artist to compile decades of internationally beloved work, and then take it on the road, we went straight to the Sk8er Girl herself.

V MAGAZINE: How did it feel hearing and compiling all of your greatest hits into one album for the first time?

AVRIL LAVIGNE: I have always wanted to release a Greatest Hits album. Going through the process of choosing was a trip down memory lane. These songs are such a big part of who I am and my life and career. I am looking forward to going back to the studio now. Feeling very inspired to get into the creative process for the new album.

V: What feels special about performing these songs in front of fans in 2024?

AL: It is so special hearing the crowd sing the songs back to me, everyone’s individual voice unified as this massive force. I look out and I see young kids with their parents, best friends, and couples all singing along and feeling the same emotions. 

V: Sometimes artists are hesitant to revisit their older work, but fans practically demand it. How much do you value nostalgia vs. looking forward and innovating? What feels special about looking back on your long standing career?

AL: I have and always will love my older songs. They are the reason I am here and get to do this for as long as I have. I love working on new material, but the older songs have a special place in my heart just like everyone else’s.

V: Simple Plan, All Time Low, Royal & the Serpent, girlfriends—how were they all selected as acts on this tour?

AL: For this tour, I knew I wanted to tour with my friends, to make it not only fun onstage but also offstage. [With Simple Plan]…our careers have withstood the changing times and trends. There’s something really special about being able to share that, and it’s incredibly serendipitous that our paths have been able to cross like this. All Time Low are some of the most fun guys to be around and an incredible live band, so having them on felt like a perfect fit. 

I recently met Royal and saw how fun of a performer she is. It was really important to me to have a badass younger artist up onstage for this tour, so it wasn’t just about the nostalgia. girlfriends came out with me on the Europe/UK portion of my ‘Love Sux’ tour in 2023. We had so many fun after-show hangs and they put on a great show.

V: I would imagine lots of parents who brought their kids to this tour were once kids at your early shows. Has your fanbase changed since you first started out?

AL: I always kind of knew it, but it’s definitely pretty wild to see it. This tour has shown me how wide-reaching the songs are.  I see people who are my age and young kids who are at their first concert with their parents. It’s really special to me that my music can be shared between families.

V: Your style has always been authentically you and easily identifiable. Who oversaw the style direction for this tour? What’s exciting or unique about the outfits chosen?

AL: I worked with Ashton Michael to create custom pieces with patchwork that paid homage to all of my albums. We did mini skirts with mesh hoodies and oversized jerseys that all worked into the set. He’s such an incredible genius when it comes to making these things, and it’s one of the more fun parts of getting ready for a tour.

V: What’s been your favorite song to perform on this tour? Not to make you choose a favorite “child,” so to speak.

AL: “Girlfriend” is super fun. I knew I wanted to open with it so that the show started with a bang. Playing guitar on “My Happy Ending” and “Nobody’s Home”, is a nice change of pace. I really love playing more recent songs like “Bite Me” and “Love It When You Hate Me”, and hearing fans sing along to them just as loud as they do to the classics.

V: Any special guest appearances on this tour? 

AL: Deryck Whibley from Sum 41 came out to my show in Vegas and we got to do “In Too Deep”, which everyone loves. Having Deryck onstage with me was so fun and it was a great surprise for the audience. Let me tell you it went off! That guitar riff is just so iconic. 

V: How do you hope fans feel after attending one of the shows on this tour?

AL: I hope my fans were able to feel alive and true to themselves at my shows. These songs mean a lot to me and every night when I have people singing them back to me, I feel how much they mean to them, too. There’s really nothing quite like it in the world. I’m really lucky to be 22 years in and still reaching new heights.

This story appears in the pages of V151: now available for purchase!

Photography Skyler Barberio