What is The Avril Lavigne Melissa Theory? Singer Debunks Conspiracy Around Her
Avril Lavigne opened up about the craziest rumor she's ever heard about herself on one of the episodes of Call Her Daddy podcast.
Avril Lavigne addressed the long-standing conspiracy theory that executives hired someone to replace her after her death, following her 2003 album Let Go coming out.
The singer discussed the rumor of having a body double, which has been spreading online since the early 2000s. Some believe that the singer died after the release of her debut album, Let Go, and that music industry executives replaced her with a doppelgänger named Melissa after her death.
Avril Lavigne debunks conspiracy theory about her death
On the May 15 episode of Call Her Daddy, singer Ariane Lavigne addressed a rumor that she was replaced by a body double named Melissa. When host, Alex Cooper asked Lavigne what the craziest rumor she's heard about herself was, Lavigne replied that she knew exactly the one the host was referencing.
"I know what you're talking about," she said referring to the rumor that surfaced on internet forums in the early 2000s claiming the Canadian pop-punk star had died in 2003 after her debut album Let Go was released and was subsequently replaced with a doppelgänger named Melissa. "I mean, it's just funny to me. Like, on one end, everyone's like, 'You look the exact same. You haven't aged a day.' But then other people are like, there's a conspiracy theory that I'm not me."
"Honestly, it's not that bad. It could be worse, right?" she admitted with a laugh. "I feel like I got a good one. I don't feel like it's negative. It's nothing creepy. Obviously I am me, it's so dumb."
She was quick to point out that body double rumors aren't uncommon when it comes to musicians. "I think that they've done that with other artists," Lavigne said. "I'm not the only one. I think, like, other people have that."
Cooper then noted that the conspiracy theory about the rocker is more "prominent" than similar conspiracy theories about other artists.
"I'm telling you what's crazy is you haven't aged," she tells Lavigne. "I'm staring at you. And, like, I'm picturing you with your auburn hair. And I'm like, oh my God. You literally look the same from when you were younger. "
Avril Lavigne performs with ex husband on stage
On June 1, Avril Lavigne welcomed her first ex-husband Deryck Whibley on stage during her Greatest Hits Tour at the MGM Grand. She shared a compilation video on her Instagram, showing that she welcomed him to sing the Sum 41 song In Too Deep with her.
She posted the video with the caption reading, “‘In Too Deep’ in Las Vegas", and in the video, she says, “Please give it up for Deryck from Sum 41.”
Many commented under the video, saying, “Awesome to see, that she’s still friends with him,” and “….this brought back some much nostalgia!”
Lavigne and Whibley started dating in 2004 after meeting two years prior. They had been friends since she was 17 and he was 21, but didn’t start dating until she was 19. Then, after a year of dating, in June 2005, Whibley proposed to her, and they married the following year in Montecito, Calif.
In 2009, Lavigne filed for divorce, saying, as per People, “I am grateful for our time together, and I am grateful and blessed for our remaining friendship.”
While they divorced in 2010, they have remained friends to this day, and Lavigne even said he was “one of my best friends … We’ve been friends for a really long time, and we always will be. We’re family and we have a connection,” according to People.
ALSO READ: Avril Lavigne Dating History: Exploring The Singer's Rumored Romances Over The Years