Avril Ramona Lavigne was born on September 27, 1984, in Belleville, Ontario, Canada, and spent most of her childhood in Napanee, Ontario. For more than a decade, Avril Lavigne has enjoyed huge success with her punk-influenced pop sound. She has also branched out in new directions over the years, including starting her own fashion line.
Lavigne sang all the time as a child, much to the chagrin of her two siblings. Raised by deeply religious parents, she first started performing in church choirs. Lavigne learned to play the guitar, and began composing her own music as a teenager. At first, she reportedly focused on country music, eventually changing her tune. Leaving high school, she went first to New York City and then to Los Angeles to work with Arista Records.