Being an iconic celebrity comes with its downside, which is mainly always controversial. Like any other celebrity, Avril has gone through several dramas throughout her musical career.
One of Lavigne’s most popular controversies was when several media outlets started to publish that she was dead and was replaced by a clone named Melissa in 2003. The theory claimed that Avril struggled with fame initially, leading her to use a body double named Melissa. Furthermore, people also stated that Avril died, leading her record company to replace her with Melissa full time.
Many theorists support their body double theory by stating that Melissa left clues in songs such as ‘Slipped Away,’ where she sings, “The day you slipped away was the day I found it won’t be the same.”
Likewise, since Avril had a different musical influence in the music industry, she was often compared with pop stars like Britney Spears. Several people also called her anti-Britney for being less commercial and having an actual image. Such perception led many people to think Avril had a feud with Britney Spears.
However, Avril silenced all the speculation and supported Spears when she stated in an interview that the concept of anti-Britney was stupid. She said, “I don’t believe in that. She’s a human being. God, leave her alone.”
Another famous controversy Avril got connected to was with renowned singer Rihanna. Although both the stars make different types of music, one of Rihanna’s best hits would not have existed without Avril. That’s right, you heard it right; Rihanna’s hit song Cheers (Drink to That) includes Avril’s sample voice that was recorded while creating her single ‘I’m With You.’
Although Rihanna suffered several backlashes for using Avril’s sample, instead of denying the claims, she stated that she was glad she could use Avril’s voice, as if it were not for her, the vibe of the song would not have been the same.
Avril was also called racist for her Hello Kitty music video from her fifth album. The singer had included a Japanese background dancer in her video, causing her to go through plenty of backlashes. The singer defended herself by stating that she likes Japan and is usually in Japan half of the time.
