Canadian singer/ songwriter Avril Lavigne first began writing songs and playing guitar in her early teens. After singing in a church choir and at local festivals and county fairs, she was discovered by Antonio “L.A.” Reid of Arista Records who offered her a record deal at aged 16. Moving to Manhatten, she was surrounded by prominent song writers and producers but rejected them to concentrate on her own musical ideas. She moved to Los Angeles, signed for Nettwerk and Cliff Magness produced her first album, Let Go in 2002. This was a hugely successful debut album reaching no.1 in the U.K. and no.2 in the U.S.A. Singles from the album included “Complicated (U.K. no.3, U.S. no.2),” “Sk8er Boi (U.K. no.8, U.S. no.10),” “I’m With You (U.K. no.7, U.S. no.4),” “Losing Grip (U.K. no.22).”

 In 2004 she released her second album, Under My Skin.