Avril Lavigne: My Glastonbury set has been 22 years in the making
Avril Lavigne is known as the original queen of pop-punk, and she proved it during her performance for a massive Glastonbury audience on Saturday night.
Her emotional songs about heartbreak from when she was a teenager still connect with listeners even after more than twenty years have passed.
She performed some of her most popular songs like Complicated, Sk8er Boi, and My Happy Ending.
"I'm in disbelief that it took me 22 years to finally perform at Glastonbury, but it was absolutely incredible," she shares with the BBC.
"The crowd was amazing, with people standing on shoulders, waving signs, and colorful smoke bombs exploding all around. It was simply awesome," Avril said.
The Canadian artist attracted a huge audience to The Other Stage, making it one of the largest crowds ever seen. It was evident from the beginning of her performance that she had a very dedicated group of fans.
Many times during her show, the cameras showed audience members singing along to all of the lyrics.
She mentioned that she has released seven albums and been on seven tours, and the excitement is still the same.
Avril has recently put out a compilation of her best songs and is embarking on a popular tour throughout North America.
She expressed her love for performing tracks from her debut album - Let Go, which came out in 2002 and boosted her career by making her the youngest female artist to reach number one on the UK album charts at just 17 years old.
People are still thrilled about the music. I believe that's what brings me and my listeners together, the art of writing songs and the actual songs themselves.
She has had a significant impact on female artists - Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, and Charli XCX have all mentioned the 39-year-old as a major source of inspiration.
Avril explains that her lyrics connect with people because they are easy to relate to. She emphasizes the significance of authenticity in her songwriting process, stating that being genuine and honest has always been crucial to her.
I'm sharing my experiences from high school, such as developing feelings for a guy for the first time, understanding what love is, and how it made me feel.
She became part of the roster during a historic year for Glastonbury Festival, which made history by having two women headliners for the first time.
Shania Twain also performed in the iconic slot at the music festival - someone whom Avril actually shared the stage with after winning a contest in 1998.
After her performance on the show, she signed a contract with a music label.
"I idolized [Shania] as a child - I had the opportunity to sing on stage with her when I was 14 years old, so being here tonight holds a special significance for me."
After reflecting on Sunday at Glastonbury, it was really special to witness Avril Lavigne performing with Shania Twain on the Pyramid stage.
Avril describes herself as a woman from a tiny town in Canada, but her followers view her differently.
