Avril Lavigne thinks the music industry has improved for women.
The 37-year-old star – who shot to fame as a pop punk musician back in the early 2000s with hits such as ‘Complicated’ and ‘Sk8er’ Boi’ – explained that it was “way rougher” in her heyday compared to now.
She said: “I think things were way rougher for chicks 20 years ago, 10 years ago, and even five years ago in the world, in the media, and behind the scenes. Because unfortunately, people were getting away with things that were really not okay. I watched that Britney [Spears] documentary where they’re showing her in interviews, and they’re straight-up talking about her body and her boobs to her. It’s so inappropriate, and never would that even happen now.”
The ‘Girlfriend’ hitmaker – who has just released her seventh studio album ‘Love Sux’ after a break of three years – went on to offer advice to aspiring musicians, reminding them that they don’t have to “be perfect” or put a “ton of pressure” on themselves.
She told Ultimate Guitar: “I think it’s totally worth it to at least know a little bit of the basics of an instrument.
[But] you don’t have to be perfect, and you don’t have to put a ton of pressure on yourself. If you just want to rip f****** barre chords like I did the majority of my teenage years, great. If you don’t want to get into crazy gnarly classical scales and shit, don’t do it. If you can, and you want to, great.
The more you learn, the better. But it can be as simple as you need it to be. You don’t have to put a ton of pressure on yourself.”
Avril also explained that she is “happy” to be back in the music industry and teased that she is excited to “connect with the” fans” during a set of soon-to-be-announced live shows.
She said: “I’m happy to be back making some f****** rock and roll music and I’m having a great time. I can’t wait to connect with the fans during all the live shows.”