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Avril Lavigne replacement conspiracy theory

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The Avril Lavigne replacement conspiracy theory is a conspiracy theory and urban legend stating that Canadian pop punk musician Avril Lavigne died in 2003, shortly after the release of her debut album Let Go, and was replaced by a body double named Melissa Vandella. Evidence used to support the theory include changes in Lavigne's appearance between 2003 and the present, supposed subliminal messaging in her follow-up album Under My Skin (2004), and a photoshoot in which Lavigne has the name "Melissa" written on her hand.

The origins of the theory can be traced back to the 2011 Brazilian blog "Avril Está Morta" (Avril is Dead), which led to conversations on internet forums sharing supposed evidence of Lavigne's replacement. The theory gained more traction in May 2017, when a Twitter user posted a thread recounting the theory. Lavigne has denied the theory on multiple occasions.

Origins

 
 
Avril Lavigne performing in 2002 (left) and in 2011 (right), the year that the Avril Está Morta blog formed.

The origins of the replacement theory can be dated back to 2011, with a Brazilian blog titled "Avril Está Morta", or "Avril Is Dead", although some sources say that the rumor dates back as far as 2005.[1][2] The theory alleges that the pressures of fame, combined with the death of Lavigne's grandfather, sent her into a deep depression after the release of her 2002 debut album, Let Go, and that the singer died by suicide shortly after.[3]

"Melissa" was originally hired as a look-alike to distract paparazzi, protecting a reclusive Lavigne. Lavigne befriended "Melissa", and shortly before the singer's supposed death, her body double was taught how to sing and perform like the musician.[4] After Lavigne's death, her record company buried the news and replaced her with "Melissa Vandella" for a continued profit, and "Melissa" recorded all of Lavigne's future work.[5] Much of the evidence for Lavigne's replacement is provided by the appearance and disappearance of various moles and other skin blemishes in pictures of Lavigne over time,[3] as well as a promotional photoshoot in which Avril has the name "Melissa" written on her hand.[6]

The conspiracy theory soon gained traction on internet forums such as ATRL and Godlike Productions, where self-proclaimed "Avril Rangers" shared evidence. One ATRL post in 2012 suggested that the original Avril may actually be alive, using a picture of what appeared to be the singer buying cheese at a time when "new Avril" was supposedly battling Lyme disease.[7] In addition to the changes in her appearance, the theory alleges that the title and artwork for "Avril's" second album, Under My Skin, as well as the lyrics of songs like "My Happy Ending" and "Together", are subliminal messaging.[8] The original blog further suggests that Melissa feels guilt over "participating in this farce", leading to the subliminal messaging.[9]

Rise in popularity

The theory began to gain traction in the United States in October 2015, when BuzzFeed reporter Ryan Broderick tweeted about Avril Este Morta.[10] In a BuzzFeed post, Broderick cleared up his tweet on the matter, mentioning that the opening line of the original blog post admits that the theory is a hoax, and that "This blog was created to show how conspiracy theories can look true."[10]

The death hoax saw increased prevalence in May 2017, when a high school student posted a Twitter thread alleging that Lavigne had died and been replaced in late 2003. The thread, which was retweeted a quarter of a million times, cited discrepancies in the singer's face, fashion style, and handwriting as evidence of her death and replacement.[11] The Twitter thread largely corresponds with the earlier "Avril Está Morta" conspiracy, with one major difference: this time, Under My Skin was created using pre-existing recordings of the real Lavigne.[12]

The Twitter thread inspired an internet meme in which users would say that a celebrity or fictional character died and was replaced, showing two pictures of the figure in question and titling it "a conspiracy theory thread".[13]

Response

The first time Lavigne addressed the rumors was in a November 2017 Facebook live stream Q&A, when a fan asked whether she was dead, to which Lavigne responded, "No, I'm not dead. I'm here."[14] She went on to say that the theory was spawned because "people are just bored and need something to talk about".[14] The question was broached again in a November 2018 interview with Australia's KIIS 106.5. When asked about the theory, the singer responded, "Some people think that I'm not the real me, which is so weird! Like, why would they even think that?"[15] Radio hosts Kyle and Jackie O said that Lavigne "never actually flat out denied" that she had been replaced, and suggested that technological difficulties during the interview were a suspicious coincidence.[15] In a 2019 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Lavigne addressed the theory directly, calling it a "dumb internet rumor" and saying that she was "flabbergasted that people bought into it".[16]

In 2013, a separate death hoax alleged that Lavigne died in a snowboarding accident at Whistler Blackcomb ski resort.[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ Rohwedder, Kristie (February 11, 2019). "Avril Lavigne Can't Believe *That* Death Hoax Is Still A Thing Either". Bustle. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  2. ^ Cresci, Elena (May 16, 2017). "Why fans think Avril Lavigne died and was replaced by a clone named Melissa". The Guardian. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Song, Sandra (October 1, 2015). "A Conspiracy Theory Says Avril Lavigne Is Dead And Has Been Replaced By A Doppelganger". Paper. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  4. ^ Purdom, Clayton (May 15, 2017). "The world is now convinced that Avril Lavigne is dead". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  5. ^ Rafferty, Scott (May 15, 2017). "The Avril Lavigne Death Hoax That Won't Die". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 24, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  6. ^ Bassil, Ryan (October 1, 2015). "Investigating the Conspiracy That Says Avril Lavigne Was Killed off and Replaced with an Actress". Noisey by Vice. Archived from the original on February 7, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  7. ^ Feinberg, Ashley (October 2, 2015). "Did Avril Lavigne Die in 2003?: An Internet Conspiracy, Explained". Gawker. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  8. ^ "Is Avril Lavigne Really Dead? Assessing the Endless Rumours About Her 'Imposter'". NME. May 15, 2017. Archived from the original on February 9, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  9. ^ Gilbride, Tricia (May 15, 2017). "The Avril Lavigne conspiracy theory that hasn't died yet, just like Avril Lavigne". Mashable. Archived from the original on December 24, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  10. ^ a b Broderick, Ryan (October 2, 2015). "Here's How I Accidentally Made An Old Avril Lavigne Death Hoax Go Viral". BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on January 29, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  11. ^ Estatie, Lamia (May 15, 2017). "The Avril Lavigne conspiracy theory returns". BBC News. Archived from the original on January 3, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  12. ^ Dickman, Maggie (May 15, 2017). "This Avril Lavigne conspiracy theory has returned, and the internet is freaking out". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on February 6, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  13. ^ Shamsian, Jacob (May 17, 2017). "The internet is having a field day with a crazy conspiracy theory that Avril Lavigne died and was replaced with someone else". Business Insider. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  14. ^ a b Michallon, Clemence (November 2, 2018). "Avril Lavigne responds to conspiracy theory that she died years ago and was replaced by lookalike". The Independent. Archived from the original on November 21, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  15. ^ a b "Avril Lavigne confronts conspiracy theory that she's a clone". Alternative Press. November 1, 2018. Archived from the original on February 12, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  16. ^ Kaplan, Ilana (February 11, 2019). "Avril Lavigne on Head Above Water, near-death experiences, and that crazy conspiracy theory". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  17. ^ Francis, Nathan (December 25, 2017). "Avril Lavigne Dead? Bizarre Conspiracy Theory About Singer's Suicide Goes Viral". Inquisitr. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
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