Singer Avril Lavigne has returned after years five years without a new album to release a new single.
On Sept. 19, the lyric video for “Head Above Water” emerged on
YouTube. The inspiration for the song is her battle with Lyme disease. That same battle is what has kept her out of the spotlight the past few years.
Lavigne said the writing process started at a critical moment in her life.
“One night, I thought I was dying, and I had accepted that I was going to die. My mom laid with me in bed and held me. I felt like I was drowning. Under my breath, I prayed ‘God, please help to keep my head above the water.’ In that moment, the song writing of this album began. It was like I tapped into something. It was a very spiritual experience. Lyrics flooded through me from that point on,” Lavigne wrote, via her
official website.
Lavigne was diagnosed with Lyme disease at the end of 2014. She started to experience symptoms during touring for her fifth album, the self-titled “Avril Lavigne.”
Doctors in the different places she traveled through while performing didn’t know what to think. Once she found out it was Lyme disease, she waited until 2015 and then revealed the news to People in a cover story, according to her website.
Lavigne Comeback
In 2017, Lavigne started to recover strength and record again.“I fought Lyme Disease on antibiotics and herbs for two years. I tried to have a life, but was in bed the majority of the time, and it was very up and down with good days and bad days,” Lavigne said via her website.
“When you’re in bed for the better part of two years, you lose muscle mass,” said Lavigne, “and your entire body gets weak. I’ve had to work to get my endurance up. ‘Head Above Water’ was the first song that I sang. I was fresh off not singing for two years. I thought my voice would be weak, it ended up being stronger than ever. The break happened to actually be good for my vocal cords.”
Lavigne is also working with her foundation to raise money to help people affected by Lyme disease. The money will come from the sale of a #HeadAboveWater t-shirt, according to
WIXX.
Lavigne said via social media that she will perform the song on
Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Sept. 26.
Media are reporting on the song as a Christian or faith-based song, and see it as a spiritual awakening for Lavigne. This mostly comes from the start of the the chorus, where Lavigne sings “God keep my head above water,” as well as what Lavigne said inspired the song.
Lavigne will also be releasing an official music video for the song, which is set to premiere Sept. 26 on Entertainment Tonight, according to the
Twitter account for the TV show.
The last music Lavigne released was 2015’s “Fly,” a song that was not followed by an album. It was a project done for the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, according to
Daily Star.
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