Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer and songwriter who was born on September 27, 1984, in Belleville, Ontario. At 16, she signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records and released her debut studio album, Let Go, in 2002, which is the best-selling album of the 21st century by a Canadian artist. Lavigne is considered a significant figure in the development of pop punk music and paved the way for female-driven, punk-influenced pop music in the early 2000s. Her second studio album, Under My Skin, became her first album to top the Billboard 200 chart in the United States and sold 10 million copies worldwide.
Her third studio album, The Best Damn Thing, saw the international success of its lead single “Girlfriend”, which became her first single to reach the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. Lavigne continued to have commercial success with her next two studio albums, Goodbye Lullaby and Avril Lavigne, both of which were certified gold in Canada, the United States, and other territories. She returned to her punk roots with her seventh studio album, Love Sux, in 2022 after releasing her sixth studio album, Head Above Water, in 2019.
In addition to her music career, Lavigne also voiced an animated character in the film Over the Hedge and made her screen acting debut in Fast Food Nation. She has been nominated for eight Grammy Awards. Lavigne’s vocal abilities were recognized by her parents when she was two years old and sang “Jesus Loves Me” on the way home from church. She has an older brother named Matthew and a younger sister named Michelle. Lavigne’s paternal grandfather Maurice Yves Lavigne was a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force and married Lucie Dzierzbicki, a French native of Morhange in France. Their son, Jean-Claude Lavigne, was born in 1954 at RCAF Station Grostenquin near Grostenquin, Lorraine, France. When Jean-Claude was a child, the family moved to Ontario, Canada, and in 1975, he married Judith-Rosanne “Judy” Loshaw. Lavigne’s father named her Avril, which is the French word for April. Her siblings used to tease her when she sang herself to sleep, and she is now the sister-in-law of Japanese band One OK Rock bassist Ryota Kohama.
Who are Avril Lavigne parents?
Avril Lavigne’s parents, Jean-Claude Joseph Lavigne and Judith-Rosanne Lavigne, are both responsible for bringing the talented musician into the world. Avril’s mother has a diverse ethnic background, with English, Scottish, and German roots. On the other hand, Avril’s father, Jean-Claude Joseph Lavigne, is of French-Canadian origin.
It was Avril’s father who chose the name “Avril” for her, inspired by the French word for the month of April. According to reports, Avril’s parents recognized their daughter’s vocal abilities when she was just two years old. They would sing “Jesus Loves Me” on the way home from church, and it was during these moments that they realized their daughter’s potential.
Avril also has two siblings, an older brother named Matthew and a younger sister named Michelle. Her brother and sister used to tease her when she sang, with her brother even knocking on the wall to interrupt her singing when she would perform at night. Avril is also related to Ryota Kohama, the bassist of the Japanese band One OK Rock, who is married to Avril’s sister Michelle.
Avril’s paternal grandfather, Maurice Yves Lavigne, was born in Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, and was a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force. He married Lucie Dzierzbicki, a French native of Morhange in France, in 1953. Their son, Jean-Claude Lavigne, was born in 1954 at RCAF Station Grostenquin near Grostenquin, Lorraine, France. When Jean-Claude was a child, the family moved to Ontario, Canada, where Avril was eventually born. In 1975, Jean-Claude Lavigne married Judith-Rosanne “Judy” Loshaw, Avril’s mother.
