Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne discussed the conspiracy theory about her death and body double. She is pictured with Macy Gray at ChefDance 2019 on Jan. 26, 2019 in Park City, Utah. Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for ChefDance, LLC

Avril Lavigne is making a comeback, and she looks great. However, some thought she looked a little too good, and that’s how a wild conspiracy theory went viral.

The theory alleges that Lavigne died by suicide around 2003, but her record label wasn’t willing to lose her as a brand. Body double Melissa Vandella was already being used to deter paparazzi, so the doppelgänger was hired to take Lavigne’s place full-time. This supposedly explains the big tonal shift between 2004’s “Under My Skin” and 2007’s “The Best Damn Thing.”

The “Head Above Water” singer is baffled by the idea that she’s been replaced and even more so that people believe this conspiracy theory. Entertainment Weekly asked if she took the rumor personally.

“More like that it’s just a dumb internet rumor and [I’m] flabbergasted that people bought into it,” she explained. “Isn’t that so weird? It’s so dumb. And I look the exact same. On one hand, everyone is like, ‘Oh my god, you look the same,’ and on the other hand people are like ‘Oh my god, she died.’ ”

The conspiracy has been on the internet since at least 2011, and it resurfaces every so often. The Canadian singer was first asked about the theory during an interview with Australian radio station KIIS 1065 in November 2018. “Some people think that I’m not the real me, which is so weird!” Lavigne replied. “Like, why would they even think that?”

She isn’t too worried about bizarre doppelganger theories, though. The 34-year-old is gearing up to release her “Head Above Water” album, her first LP in five years. It’ll drop Friday.

RELATED STORIES