Remembered as a pint-sized teenager chasing skater boys in combat pants all those years ago, the Canadian singer has discovered a new sense of happiness as her pop career's matured.
Currently dating The Hills actor Brody Jenner, Lavigne is back with a new album and a promise to Australian fans that a full tour is on its way."I think I'm having more fun in a lot of ways," Lavigne told AAP during a promotional visit to Sydney, which includes a rooftop performance for 2Day FM.
"You live and you learn and as you get older you learn about life and enjoy yourself more.
"As far as work goes I've perfected a lot of things and I'm now doing exactly what I want to do."
Since she last toured Australia in 2007, Lavigne has launched a clothing range, Abbey Dawn, two fragrances and a charity, The Avril Lavigne Foundation, which supports children and youth living with serious illnesses and disabilities.
In between, the 26-year-old found time to record a fourth record, Goodbye Lullaby, which stormed to the top of the ARIA Album Charts on its release last month.
"I have a lot going on so I'm really excited to be coming out with this record," Lavigne said.
"It's a really special record to me because I wrote half of it all by myself and produced on it."
While the album saw Lavigne stretching her studio skills, the majority of the production duties fell to her ex-husband, Sum 41 guitarist Deryck Whibley.
The pair split up at the end of 2009 after a three-year marriage but Lavigne insists he remained the obvious choice to work alongside.
"I feel really grateful because we have a really good relationship and we really care about each other," she said.
"To have him as part of this record and producing on it was really awesome because he's very talented and he did a great job."
Lavigne shot to fame aged just 17 on the strength of no nonsense hits like Skater Boi and Complicated and has since sold more than 30 million albums.
