Get this out of the way first.. Avril is 27 years old, divorced and now engaged to the dude from Maroon 5. Done. Now lets go back 10 years….
At age 17 Avril hit the music scene out of nowhere and changed girl pop as we know it. In 2002, I had a 5 year old kid who was totally obsessed with music. Age FIVE and Avril was one of her favorites. Covering topics she had yet encounter a little voice sang along to 'sk8r boi' and hearing 'see ya later boy' was pretty funny. She took alot of heat for some bad quotes and mispronunciations- but again, she was just a kid.
Levigne followed up this blockbuster with two other groundbreaking and still outstanding albums. Under My Skin and Best Damn Thing. Really, there is nothing more 'uncool' to like than Avril, but take a step back and re listen to these albums. You want girl power? There you go. She is not bending she is not sobbing in her pillow shes moving on and setting an example for teenaged girls that really deserves some attention. I put on "I Don't Like Your Girlfriend' at a reasonable volume and who comes bounding in the room singing in her hairbrush? Yeah that 5 year old is 15 now and remembers every word- but is it different now?
Yup, now she actually can relate to the tales of broken hearts and disappointment,stress and pressure of just being a girl in the 2000's. Wow. Very profound stuff. Avril's albums should be a High School course for every girl. I'm glad she popped on to Pandora (yeah, Iman PANDORA) today. Otherwise I would have not had an opportunity to revisit a female artist who actually has positive impact. Was Avril the trailblazer for the Clarksons, and the Lovato's? Some would say yes others may disagree. I think she's been more influence than shes been giving credit for and I do know that she shouldn't marry that Maroon 5 guy, its just gross.
What we need is a rejuvenation of Avril's old work. We need to take that mindset and make todays girls understand it. There is so much bullshit being shoved down their throat. Rihanna- shes telling you its ok to get smacked around and straddle a tank. Nikki? Role model? Taylor? Yeah, I suppose shes soft and smart and innocent but, seriously she dated Mayer- shes got no cred and wheres her fight? Demi, Salina, Kelly? Manufactured personalities.
Avril with her snaggle tooth and tomboy awkwardness had a real image that was relatable imperfectly perfect. At 27 shes on to a different phase of her life but she has left a legacy that is well worth reevaluating.