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Avril Lavigne: I'm stoked that people are falling back in love with pop-punk

Pop-punk princess Avril Lavigne says of her new single Bite Me that "it was just time to rock again", enthusing that the genre "feels bigger than ever right now".

Avril Lavigne: I'm stoked that people are falling back in love with pop-punk
Words:
Emily Carter
Photo:
Ryan McFadden

Following the release of new single Bite Me last week, Avril Lavigne has spoken with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 about the track, signing to Travis Barker's label, and the pop-punk resurgence.

The Canadian superstar tells Zane that it was "just time to rock again" when it came to the new track, adding that, "I’m in a happy place in my life, and it’s fun and it reflects that.

"Even though I’m reflecting on past stuff I’ve been through in relationships with love. Let's face it – love’s not easy, right? And, I mean I’ve been through the ringer so, yeah, I’m writing about it again… and I feel like Bite Me is kind of about a guy wanting a second chance but not giving him the time of day because, you know, you did before… It didn’t work out, and having that self respect."

Of signing with DTA, Avril explains that the new partnership essentially comes from being a huge blink-182 fan herself, as well as working with Travis on 2007's The Best Damn Thing record.

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"We're writing together and we just had such a blast collaborating in the studio," Avril says. "Now, I'm signed to DTA Records, which is his label, and it just felt like a natural fit it and it made sense. And I think creatively, we just click, he gets me. Working with Travis, you're totally right. Where he's like, 'Well, what do you want?' And he's like, 'Here's my opinion. Here's what I think.' But ultimately he's like, 'I want it to be your decision. I want you to be happy with it.' Because he gets it because he's an artist. He'll like to sit around, chat with me, give me his opinion and feedback. But ultimately of course I'm going to listen to him, but he's like, 'Make the decision for yourself.' So yeah, it's been cool."

Finally, looking back at the 20th anniversary of her iconic debut Let Go next year, as well as the current pop-punk resurgence, she enthuses: "I'm coming up on my 20th anniversary next year for my first album. So I've been doing this professionally for 20 years. Yeah. It's crazy. People come up to me and they're like, 'Oh my God, I grew up listening to you,' or, 'I started music because of you.' And it's super-humbling and it's really cool.

"And I'm stoked that pop-punk music, it's coming back around right now and people are falling back in love with it. And it's almost in a weird way, it feels bigger than ever right now."

Listen to the interview below:

And watch the video for Bite Me:

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