Melissa Vandella was the double for Avril who would go out on press tours and do a lot of PR-type interviews because the real Avril couldn't stand being in the spotlight. She and Avril became best friends and Avril thought it would be fun to teach her how to sing just like her. After her second album, that's when the speculation began that the real Avril had died and been replaced. From there on, Melissa would be Avril and have her own music career.

Before Fame

It was rumored she was hired as a stunt double for Lavigne in 2002 due to her strong resemblance to the singer. 

Trivia

The origins of the theory can be traced back to a 2011 Brazilian blog Avril Está Morta ("Avril Is Dead"). In 2014, Lavigne was asked about the rumors for the first time during an interview on Brazilian television. She replied, "Well, I'm here, and I'm here in Brazil". The story re-emerged in September 2021 at the MTV Video Music Awards, when Lavigne walked the red carpet with Mod Sun.

Family Life

It is unclear whether she ever existed as a real person. Her birthplace origins remain unknown. 

Associated With

In 2018, radio hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jacqueline Ellen Last broached the subject in a KIIS 106.5 interview.