Where Is She Now 20 Facts About The Early 2000s Sensation, Avril Lavigne

There was once a time when Avril Lavigne topped the Billboard charts, but that was over a decade ago. In ten years, a lot has changed. When Avril made hit music, people still followed the South Beach Diet and wore Livestrong Bracelets. Some of us have trouble remembering that far back. If there's one thing we haven't forgotten; it's the lyrics to songs like Complicated and Girlfriend. There's no doubt that Avril Lavigne was one of the biggest artists at the time.

Since the late 2000s, she hasn't shown any signs of slowing down. The Canadian singer is still empowering women and young people all over the world today, even if her music isn't topping the charts anymore. She draws people to her rough around the edges persona. She's a tough cookie that's as fierce today as she was all those years ago. It's no wonder she's still a draw.

Most people couldn't tell you what she's been up to though. Celebrities-like shoulder pads, leather pants neon colored hair-can go in and out of trends. She just isn't on as many people's radars as she used to be. We took a look at some inside information about Avril in the hopes of figuring out what she's been up to. Included are also general facts about our favorite singer and songwriter of the 2000s.

20 She Taught Herself How To Sing And Play The Guitar At A Young Age

When it comes to talent, Avril Lavigne is full of it. As per Faze, not only can she sing, write songs and play guitar, but also she's self-taught. That blows our mind. With Lavigne's amazing songs and vocals, how did she do that on her own? Faze provides insight into this with Lavigne admitting, "Sometimes I have to cry it out, or vent to my best friend, or call up my mom" when she goes through a tough period. Could that be the secret to her success? While we remain skeptical, it's worth noting that it works for Lavigne. She goes on saying, "Once I get everything off my chest, I feel better."

Teaching herself how to play guitar and sing would require lots of practice and hours of concentration. The only way she could've pulled that off was if she eliminated distractions.

If that's the case, it seems to match what she's saying. It's healthy to feel emotions, and Lavigne seems to still get emotional. She just makes an effort to share her pain with others and move on as a result. Sounds like a healthy way to live and a smart method for honing talents.

19 She's A Huge Fan Of Japanese Comics And Japanese Culture In General

Just when we thought we knew all of Avril Lavigne's interests, we learn something new. According to AXS, she's also an avid fan of manga-those popular Japanese comics. Not too long ago she provided two songs for the anime film One Piece Film: Z. AXS even reports that Lavigne contributed to her very own series of manga-like books called Make 5 Wishes. Written by Joshua Dysart and drawn by Camilla d'Errico, Lavigne actually lends her own character to the series. That's right-Avril Lavigne is a character in her own series of manga comic books.

We never thought these two worlds could come together, but per AXS, Lavigne appears to enjoy the experience saying, "I know that many of my fans read comics, and I'm really excited to be involved in creating stories that I know they will enjoy." Now that Lavigne has her own comics, she's expanded her talents even more. Could the future hold more book opportunities for Lavigne? We don't doubt it. Plus when the time comes, she can always pen down her memoir. Who knows, maybe it'll be in the style of manga? Music isn't the only thing Lavigne loves.

18 She Has Two Divorces Under Her Belt

Over the years, Avril Lavigne has had ups and downs like anyone else when it comes to romance. We can't really hold anything against her.

When it comes to figuring out what our favorite rockstar has been up to, love and marriage and divorce makes it on the list.

According to Daily Mail, she split from her first husband Deryck Whibley back in 2009. If her first hubby's name doesn't ring any bells, maybe the band he was a part of will-Sum 41. Deryck-a punk rocker himself-seemed like a good match for our favorite rocker chick. But alas, the couple crumbled.

Lavigne moved on to her second husband-Chad Kroeger-who's the frontman for Nickelback according to Us. They reported that the wedding was back in July 2013. Sadly, it was just after their second wedding anniversary that they called it quits.

Since then, Lavigne hasn't married again. We're sure she's had romances since, though. Those two divorces must've just scared her away from marriage for the time being. Whatever the case, Lavigne could have any guy she wants. With her incredible voice, beauty and fortune, a guy would have to be crazy to turn her down.

17 Her Battle With Lyme Disease Took A Huge Tole On Her Life And Career

Since Avril Lavigne released her first album titled Let Go when she was only 17, she never stopped working. That was until she got Lyme disease, as per a story by People. The magazine says Lavigne was in bed for a total of five whole months. That's a long time without doing anything. Lavigne's life was never the same again as a result.

Looking back, the star even reflected gratitude in an interview with People having gone through the experience. Lavigne said in April 2015, "Sometimes it takes instances like this to put things in perspective. So in a way, I am grateful for all of this." We don't think we would have felt the same way had it been us. According to The New Age, she had to take a break from everything for two years. That meant two whole years of no recording or tours while she battled an extremely bad case of the disease. Now she's back and making music again since her diagnosis in early 2015. Although she was down the last couple of years, it's encouraging that she's back on her feet. We hope she even has what it takes to get on top of the Billboard charts again.

16 She Sang With Shania Twain On Stage At Age 15

When Avril Lavigne was only the tender age of 15, she showed her talents and confidence. As per AXS, Lavigne competed in a radio contest and won. This doesn't surprise us. As a result, she got to sing on stage with an artist she admired most of all-Shania Twain. Again, it's no surprise. Who doesn't love Shania Twain, after all? According to AXS, she apparently told Twain-in a crazy move-her future as a famous singer and that she was determined to become one. Woah, now that takes gumption! Really though, it's like Lavigne knew since she was little she was going to be a star.

Even more impressive is the fact that she sang in front of 20,000 people that day with Twain at 15.

As per AXS, the show took place at the Coral Centre in Ottawa, Canada. It's only natural for Lavigne to look up to Twain, considering she's a star from her own country. To have the guts to tell her how big she was going to be knocked our socks off. Now we know Lavigne isn't faking her attitude on stage or in music videos. It's the real deal. AXS also points out that she released her first album Let Go at just 17.

15 She Got Into It With The King Of Social Media

Factinate quotes Lavigne saying, "Why should I care what other people think of me? I am who I am. And who I wanna be." That philosophy she goes by certainly rings true for how she lives her life. One need only look at her interaction with CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg for proof.

As per Factinate, Twitter captured the entire feud when Zuckerberg tested an AI software. When he asked the AI to "play us some good Nickelback songs," the system responded saying, "I'm sorry Mark, I'm afraid I can't do that. There are no good Nickelback songs." Lavigne, of course, was married to Chad Kroeger of Nickelback. In turn, Lavigne lashed back saying, "your jab at Nickelback is in poor taste. When you have a voice like yours, you may want to consider being more responsible with promoting bullying, especially given what's going on in the world today."

Ouch. Lavigne sure put Zuckerberg on blast publicly over the Internet. That takes some guts to stand up to the CEO of Facebook like that. To Lavigne though, all she saw was what she thought was a bully. It didn't matter that he created Facebook. He could've been President of the United States and she wouldn't have hesitated.

14 She Has/Had A Tattoo Of Brody Jenner's Name

Avril Lavigne has been milking the bad girl image since her career launched. Of course, tattoos are going to be a part of her. As one can guess, she's got a lot of them. They're not very nice either. According to Factinate, she's got a four-letter expletive (starting with the letter F) across her ribs. The site also claims she has (or at one time did have) "Brody" under her right breast.

This was for Brody Jenner, who she had dated at the time. For those who aren't sure, Brody Jenner is Bruce Jenner's son who he had with Linda Thompson.

It appears the Kardashian and Jenner connection with Lavigne extends beyond just fashion.

Even during Lavigne's pop stardom, tattoos weren't as widely accepted as they are today. Plus, she was appealing to younger people. It must've caused a lot of concern for parents whose kids at the time loved Lavigne. They probably feared their kids would want to get covered up in tattoos or something. What matters though is the message of her songs and what she represents at the end of the day. Lavigne isn't an edgy rebellious punk. Rather, she's a solid role model who inspires millions of fans around the world today.

13 She Plans To Release A Christmas Album

To say Avril Lavigne loves Christmas is an understatement. Fans know it's her favorite holiday. According to ET, she even started recording a Christmas album back in 2015. In an interview with People, ET notes how Lavigne expressed the desire to make a Christmas album saying, "I've always wanted to make a Christmas record, for years. That's what I'm going to do next! Because that's what I want." We can't really blame her for loving Christmas so much. Treats, trees and presents are all great reasons to look forward to the festive season. It's pretty clear she's head over heels about the holiday.

Not everyone is happy about Lavigne's Christmas obsession. Pop Buzz has some qualms with what she told Billboard about the Christmas album saying, "Because that's something I really want to do, so that's going to be next for me." Pop Buzz is quick to point out the interview took place in April that year. Isn't she jumping the gun a little bit too soon? Albums take time, so no time is too soon. We think it's great she's on top of it. Even more-we're glad to get insight into what she's been up to over the years.

12 She Co-Wrote Kelly Clarkson's Huge Hit "Breakaway"

Avril Lavigne is no poser. She's not only got the vocals and musical gusto, but the records to back it up. When we say records, we don't just mean albums. We're talking about achievements. According to Billboard, her albums sales in America add up to over 12 million altogether. Granted, there's been a steady decline across each album since her debut Let Go in 2002.

Her biggest achievement came in 2007 with the song Girlfriend. It sold more than 7.3 digital downloads in eight languages! Congratulations, Avril. That's pretty impressive, especially when considering it was over 10 years ago. It's also worth noting she's had milestones in this area for songs she's written for others.

For example, the song Breakaway performed by Kelly Clarkson was co-written by Lavigne, as per Billboard. That song went on to sell 2.1 million downloads.

Pretty impressive for a song she helped pen.

With credentials like that, we're sure Lavigne is busy writing new songs. At this point, she could write for herself or even others if she wants to make bank that way. Regardless, it's a busy lifestyle that no doubt keeps her busy today. We look forward to the next album she drops and will be the first in line to buy… er, to order it from Amazon.

11 She Wants To Be A Movie Star

Avril Lavigne doesn't shy away from making her life goals known-she wants to be a movie star. While she doesn't technically have a Hollywood Star on the famous Walk of Fame, she lent her voice to the 2006 animated film Over the Hedge as per IMDB. According to Digital Spy, she wants to meet Will Ferrell as well. We can totally see her acting in a comedy alongside Will Ferrell. She could play the deadpan costar that never takes Ferrell's character seriously.

She even goes on to say what genre she's willing to do, which is anything! "My next goal in life is moviemaking!" Lavigne stated, as provided by Digital Spy. "I want to act in a Christmas movie, horror film, comedy, and more." We're not surprised about her interest in a Christmas movie (she's obsessed with Christmas). In a horror film, we could see her play the one person who survives and overcomes the killer in the end. As far as the comedy is concerned, we think she just wants to meet Will Ferrell. Maybe that's the only reason she wants to be an actress in the first place? Either way, we know she has the acting chops.

10 Despite Her Hard Exterior, She Loves Yoga And Meditation

Since Avril Lavigne has been doing better after her battle with Lyme disease, she does yoga. "I do yoga, meditate and try to swim or walk every day. It's really up and down-you get better, then you get worse, then better," she said in an exclusive interview with People back in 2015. We definitely don't envy what Lavigne has to go through but at least she's making choices to live with her ailment. We bet she's incredible at yoga and meditation.

Even though she's tough as nails, Lavigne seems like a softie on the inside.

We bet it comes naturally for her to block everything out and focus for long periods at a time.

Since Lavigne is a yoga junkie now, there's another discipline added to her repertoire. What is there this woman can't do? The kind of in-your-face and gritty personality she gives off isn't supposed to be compatible with yoga. There's nothing she can't do. Now we wish there was a way to take a yoga class with Avril Lavigne. With her kind of money, she probably has a bomb yoga instructor too. Now that we know she's been up to yoga and meditation, Lavigne has become even cooler than she already was.

9 She Came From A Town Of Only 5,000 People And Wanted To Be The Next Shania Twain

Even though Avril Lavigne's personality is bigger than life, her background is not so large. According to the New York Times, she originally comes from a small town in Ontario called Napanee. Northeast of Toronto, Napanee has only 5,000 people altogether. That's the definition of a small town. It just goes to show that talent comes from anywhere.

For those who don't think they have what it takes to make it in show business, just look at Lavigne. From her modest upbringing, she was able to fulfill all her dreams. If that's not the American dream, we don't know what is-or should we say the Canadian dream? Whatever country it is, we admire Lavigne for proving that anyone can do it.

The New York Times details Lavigne's early days trying to make it big by performing at county fairs. She would sing songs by her idol at the time-Shania Twain-a fellow Canadian singer. The Times even mentions Lavigne's mom hoped her daughter could become the next Twain. Little did she know her actual hopes would come true one day. Now Lavigne has left an impression on pop culture and continues to build her legacy today.

8 She Has Her Own Fragrance Line

As if a fashion line wasn't enough, Avril Lavigne even has a fragrance line. Where does she find the time? There's no doubt it takes up her time along with everything else these days.

As per Fascinate', Lavigne has two perfumes for sale-Black Star and Forbidden Rose.

Kudos to whoever came up with those names, because it sure fits the edgy but beautiful style of Avril Lavigne. Where can we get some anyway? Does wearing her perfume guarantee we'll be able to play guitar and sing like a rockstar? If so, sign us up!

Just when we thought Lavigne was content with just being a rock star, she has to show off her entrepreneur skills as well. While the word 'entrepreneur' gets thrown around a lot, Lavigne seriously has business acumen. She not only knows what industries to break in to but also how to market a product. While we haven't had a chance to try her perfume yet, we guarantee it is quality stuff. Otherwise, if it's not something we like smelling, it could make our relationships with Lavigne "complicated." In the wise words of Outkast-in lyrics provided by Genius-sometimes "roses really smell like poo-poo-oo." We seriously doubt that could ever be Lavigne's line though.

7 She Said "Goodbye" To Junk Food… For Good

Since Avril Lavigne battled Lyme disease, her lifestyle's changed. One thing she added was yoga and meditation. Another is diet and exercise. Although these changes are a pain, it's going to be better for her. Back in 2015 in an interview with Us Magazine, Lavigne says,

"[My diet is] sugar-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, all organic. I juice three times a day."

As a result of her diet changes, she said that back in 2015 she felt about "80 percent" improved. That's a really good sign her diet has helped her condition.

While the new diet probably keeps her from eating her favorite pizza named after her (more on that later though… ), she's healthier because of it. It doesn't mean she won't cheat here and there though. As per Us Magazine, she says, "My favorite 'cheat day' food is a Canadian dish called poutine. It's melted curd cheese on French fries with gravy." Maybe she's willing to put her cooking skills to the test and make some for us. We don't judge her at all for cheating every once in a while. How else does someone get through a diet unless they cheat sometimes? We imagine it takes time and energy to live with a new diet though and hope she's faring well on it.

6 She's A Huge Foodie And Loves To Cook

Avril Lavigne is an aspiring Chef Boyardee. Instead of canned food though, she likes cooking "gourmet dishes" according to Us Magazine. As per Food Republic, Lavigne was on an MTV blog where she made Christmas cookies. Lavigne's fans already know how much she obsesses over everything Christmas. It's not her penchant for Christmas that surprises us but her love for cooking. In the clip, Food Republic notes that she cooks Italian food. We're starting to get hungry now just thinking about it.

We're still trying to wrap our heads around the fact that she loves cooking. It's perfect since we love to eat so much. She could make food for us. While we're still dreaming of a personal meal cooked by Lavigne, the fact is she's an aspiring chef. How does she find the time anyways between music, philanthropy and fashion design? At this point, we're starting to think she's been cloned. It's the only explanation on how Lavigne can have so many interests. We don't know the amount of time she spends cooking every week, but if she's excited enough to showcase her skills on MTV, it's safe to say she's an enthusiast.

5 She Learned To Speak French Later In Life

Being French Canadian, it's only natural that Avril Lavigne would want to learn French. Learning a language is tough, especially the older one gets. That kind of thinking didn't stop Lavigne from doing what she wanted, though. As the Daily Star notes, she sold her house in Los Angeles, packed her bags and headed to France. She took French classes throughout the week and learned the language in no time. Pretty amazing when one considers she had just returned from a world tour before moving to France.

The Daily Star even points out a time where her French-speaking skills came in handy in a pinch. Apparently, Lavigne was in a Paris hospital after experiencing some back issues.

Even though she was all by herself, her French saved the day. It gave her the ability to talk to doctors, who helped her get back on the up and up. Just when we thought Lavigne couldn't impress us more beyond her signing and musical talents, she went and learned a language. Between Los Angeles and Paris, we've no doubt Lavigne is busy gadding around the world these days. Sounds like a great way to spend money from all of her music's royalties.

4 The Special Olympics Holds A Special Place In Her Heart

People with short memories (like us) may have forgotten that she sponsored athletes who competed in the Special Olympics. Even though she's got lots of money and prestige as a top recording artist, she still gives back to the community. She worked hard to fundraise money for the Special Olympics-which according to the Special Olympics website-kicked off in 2014 for the 2015 games. "This year, to get in the spirit for my new partnership with Special Olympics, I'm excited to challenge my fans to rally, create rockstar fundraising teams and compete to help make a difference," said Lavigne of the fundraising event.

Now that Lavigne is a full-fledged philanthropist, we imagine her life is busy with helping people too. Whenever she's not recording new music, she's rallying people to causes. The Special Olympics is a noble program in which to invest. It provides opportunities to people and builds a lasting impact on lives. It probably takes up a lot of time and resources for Lavigne. As her words show however, it's a cause worth partaking in. Lavigne is only 33 years old, but she's already managed to build a legacy for herself outside of music.

3 She's Super Charitable And Puts Her Fans First

According to Avril Lavigne through Us Magazine, the Avril Lavigne Foundation's goal is meant to supply "joy, support, and unity to those in need." Though it might be a little vague, the actual Avril Lavigne Foundation website sheds light on what the program is all about-using the acronym R.O.C.K.S.

It stands for "Respect, Opportunity, Choices, Knowledge, and Strength" intended for "children and youth living with serious illnesses or disabilities."

Since celebrities are usually better off than the rest of us, it's important that they contribute to those in need. The world today is full of people in dire straits that need help and support in order to live. Despite Lavigne's rough exterior and edgy songs, she doesn't hesitate in helping others. We admire the big heart she has for younger people who have ailments that are more than likely out of their hands. As a result, they need extra care and help to have a decent living. It's appropriate that Lavigne wants to help them considering her music appeals to all ages. With a foundation to run, we imagine she's hired people to help her keep it afloat. It must take up a lot of her time considering she is the face and voice of the foundation.

2 She Has Her Own Fashion Line, Abbey Dawn

Step aside Kendall Jenner; it looks like you're not the only celeb with an eye for fashion. Avril Lavigne has her own fashion line called Abbey Dawn. In fact, Kylie Jenner even walked down the runway in an Abbey Dawn show during New York Fashion week in 2011 as per Billboard. Like Lavigne, Kylie was sporting a rocker look that had all the heads turning. All the Kardashians and Jenners showed up in support of Lavigne's line, sitting front and center. According to Us Magazine, Lavigne admitted that "art, acting and fashion design" are her passions second only to music. There's no doubt in our minds about that.

When you have the Kardashians and Jenners backing up your fashion line, that's when you know you've done something right. Lavigne proves she has a passion for fashion design by how good it all looks. Plus, she's being a smart entrepreneur by investing in other interests and not just sticking to music. Keeping up a fashion line has got to be a lot of money and time. She's practically running a business. While we envy owning a fashion line, what we don't want is all our time taken away, as we're sure hers is these days.

1 She Gets "Special" Treatment From Her Hometown In Canada

Who doesn't love pizza? You'd have to be crazy to admit it. It's pretty much the best food ever. It comes as a relief that Avril Lavigne thinks the same way. Now that we know she's into pizza, we have no worry about her character or morals. She checks out.

Seriously though-she's into pizza so much, her hometown pizza place named one after her. According to Us Magazine, La Pizzeria is located in her small hometown of Napanee, Ontario.

Not only does she have her own pizza there, but she gets "free pizza there for life."

Now we're less supportive of Lavigne and just plain jealous. All the pizza she wants? Sounds like heaven.

She probably flies up to her old haunt in Canada for some free pizza every once in a while. Why not? Plus, she's probably whipped up homemade pizzas of her own since she cooks for a hobby. We're curious to know if she's got one of those baking stones at home, or maybe she prefers delivery. The type of pizza someone eats can say a lot about them. Then again, it's hard to pass up free pizza in your hometown.

References: Faze, Daily Star, AXS, Special Olympics, Daily Mail , Daily Mail , Us Magazine, People , The New Age, Food Republic, Us Magazine , Avril Lavigne Foundation, Billboard , NYTimes, Pop Buzz, Genius , Factinate , People, Boomsbeat , Billboard, Behind the Voice Actors , IMDB , Digital Spy