Hi guys,
I’m so excited to finally be able to announce the first single off my new album along with its release date. Five years have gone by since I released my last album. I spent the last few years at home sick fighting Lyme Disease. Those were the worst years of my life as I went through both physical and emotional battles. I was able to turn that fight into music I’m really proud of. I wrote songs in my bed and on the couch and recorded there mostly as well. Words and lyrics that were so true to my experience came pouring out of me effortlessly. Truly... by keeping my spirits up, having goals to reach and a purpose to live for, my music helped to heal me and keep me alive.
Thank you for waiting so patiently as I fought through and still continue to fight, the battle of my lifetime. The first song I am choosing to release is called “Head Above Water.” It is also the first song I wrote from my bed during one of the scariest moments of my life. I had accepted death and could feel my body shutting down. I felt like I was drowning. Like I was going under water and I just needed to come up for air. Like I was in a river being pulled in a current. Unable to breathe. Praying to God for Him to help me just keep my head above the water. To help me see through the stormy weather. I grew closer to Him. My mother held me. In her arms, I wrote the first song that I am releasing to tell my story. I later met a beautiful soul, Travis Clark, and we sat down at the piano and sculpted the rest of the song. Then I took it to the genius, Stephan Moccio and love what he did to the music.
I have decided to be truthful about my struggle, open and more vulnerable than ever before. And to be honest, part of me doesn’t want to talk about being sick because I want it to all be behind me, but I know I have to. Because not only is it a part of my life, I need to bring awareness to the severity of Lyme Disease. A single bug bite can fuck you up hard. People aren’t aware that Lyme must be treated almost immediately. Often if they are aware, they go untreated simply because they can’t get a Lyme diagnosis! And even when they do get a diagnosis, a lot of times they simply can’t afford the treatment.
My Foundation wants to be sure that doesn’t happen as often as it does, so on our website, we’re now providing Lyme prevention resources, and links so you can connect with Lyme Literate doctors (that have learned how to correctly diagnose this disease and provide treatment as quickly as possible). Soon we’ll be announcing an alliance with top scientific teams that will accelerate Lyme research. And we’re about to launch an initiative that YOU can help us with - so that together, we can help more individuals affected by Lyme Disease get the treatment they desperately need to come out the other side of this insidious disease. Please, join us in the fight while I tell the world my story and bring awareness to Lyme Disease. I’m taking my life back into my own hands and doing what it is I know I am meant to be doing in this life time. Making music. And sharing my healing and hope, through my music. I wish for this all to touch you, to bring you strength, to lift you up, to inspire and to encourage you. I want more than ANYTHING to be back up on stage. To be holding my guitars and running around. To sing my heart out and travel around the world to see all of my fans. I will do EVERYTHING I can to get back up on stage, to travel, to sing to you, to work again. But I have to always listen to my body and keep a healthy balance, so please be patient as we go. I wrote and recorded this album and to me this is a victorious moment. A huge accomplishment. I am very proud and thankful to everyone who waited so patiently and lovingly with me to support this process for me.
Here. I now have a very strong, triumphant, powerful and true record to me and my experiences over the last few years. My first single is called “Head Above Water”, and it will be here on September 19th. I’m so excited to be returning with new music and to have you on this journey with me. Let’s do this! New era!
All My Love,
Avril Lavigne attends the 25th Annual Race To Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on April 20, 2018 in Beverly Hills, Calif.
On Thursday, (Sept. 6), iconic '00s singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne announced through her website that she will release her first single in years, "Head Above Water" on Sept. 19. In an emotional letter to fans, the singer revealed that in her five year absence she's been fighting Lyme Disease, but was able to turn her struggle into a powerful body of music.
Lavigne writes that she penned the single from bed, feeling like she was dying. "I had accepted death and could feel my body shutting down," she explains. "I felt like I was drowning. Like I was going under water and I just needed to come up for air." The music helped her find strength, and the release is her way of telling the story to fans.
"I have decided to be truthful about my struggle, open and more vulnerable than ever before," she says, before announcing that her foundation will now provide Lyme prevention resources. Soon, she will launch an initiative to educate and help others fighting the disease.
Read the entire letter here, and check out Lavigne's tweet below.
Image copyright Getty Images
Avril Lavigne has revealed she'd "accepted death" when writing her newest single from her sickbed "during one of the scariest moments" of her life.
The 33-year-old singer contracted Lyme disease, which is spread by infected ticks, in 2014.
"I have decided to be truthful about my struggle, open and more vulnerable than ever before," she writes.
Symptoms of Lyme disease include tiredness and headaches.
It's the most common tick-borne infectious disease in the UK, Europe and North America, and the flu-like symptoms can affect some people for years.
In the letter to her fans, Avril speaks about battling her condition and "turning that fight into music".
She also talks about the importance of informing people how serious Lyme disease can be.
"To be honest, part of me doesn't want to talk about being sick because I want it to all be behind me, but I know I have to.
"Not only is it a part of my life, I need to bring awareness to the severity of Lyme disease."
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The singer hasn't released an album in five years
The star has spoken previously about her health struggle since contracting the disease.
In 2015, Avril told US celebrity magazine People that she was stuck in bed for five months and "thought she was dying".
"I felt like I couldn't breathe, I couldn't talk and I couldn't move," she revealed.
The singer also said it took months for someone to diagnose her with Lyme disease, after previously being misdiagnosed with fatigue syndrome and depression.
Image copyright Science Photo Library Image caption Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne infectious disease in the UK, Europe and North America
Lyme prevention resources will now be available on the Avril Lavigne Foundation website in order to help individuals affected "get the treatment they desperately need".
"I'm taking my life back into my own hands and doing what it is I know I am meant to be doing in this life time," Avril adds.
"Making music. And sharing my healing and hope, through my music."
"Thank you for waiting so patiently as I fought through and still continue to fight, the battle of my lifetime."
Head Above Water is Avril's first single from her new album. Her last album, Avril Lavigne, was released in November 2013.
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Avril Lavigne has penned an emotional letter to fans announcing her comeback, five years on from her last album, after a difficult battle with Lyme Disease.
"Those were the worst years of my life as I went through both physical and emotional battles," Lavigne wrote in a letter on her website.
The 'Sk8er Boi' singer says she wrote and recorded her upcoming single, 'Head Above Water', from her sick bed during "one of the scariest moments of my life".
"I had accepted death and could feel my body shutting down. I felt like I was drowning," she wrote.
"Like I was going under water and I just needed to come up for air. Like I was in a river being pulled in a current."
Feeling "unable to breathe", Lavigne says she prayed to God as she wrote her next single, while in her mother's arms.
