Twenty years after her multi-platinum debut, Let Go, Avril Lavigne is embracing her pop/punk past with the superb new collection, Love Sux. Working with producer John Feldmann and writing with boyfriend Mod Sun, as well as teaming on tracks with Blink-182's Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus, Love Sux finds Lavigne totally in her element as she tells me over a recent Zoom chat.
Combining the frenzied energy and fervor of her youth with the 20 years experience she has under her belt since Let Go, Love Sux is Lavigne ready to reclaim her status as a true superstar. If there was any doubt about that it was erased this past January when she took the stage as a surprise guest at iHeartRadio's Alter-Ego show. Greeted by a thunderous ovation and screams of joy from the sold-out crowd, she was given a hero's welcome.

It was a fitting way to start off what looks to be a huge year for Lavigne, including a lot of touring. This Friday, February 25, she will celebrate the album's release with a special show for Sirius XM at the Roxy in L.A. And in October she will be one of the headliners for the highly anticipated When We Were Young festival in Las Vegas, which has sold out three days.
I spoke with Lavigne about bringing the new album to the stage, showing her vulnerability on the beautiful "Dare To Love Me," her secret passion for painting and much more.

Steve Baltin: I'm excited to talk to you. I did the Forbes piece on the Alter-Ego show on Saturday. Was that as much fun for you as it looked like it was from the audience?

Avril Lavigne: Yeah. It was a radio show and I jumped up and played like four songs and I got to hang out backstage and meet other bands that were there. That's always really fun. And I was really excited, being able to get back up on stage. It's been so long with this damn pandemic. So yeah, I was very excited to be there.