Speaker A
[Interviewer] Uh, OK. Just these two sentences there. “I’m Avril Lavigne...” The VMA rookie. I’m Avril Lavigne, the VMA rookie! [Laughs] [Rock music playing] [Audience cheering] - [Avril] Yeah!
A behind-the-scenes look at Avril Lavigne's day in 2002, including radio shows, VMA pre-show, and her reflections on fame and fans.
Key Takeaways
- Avril Lavigne is excited but grounded despite rapid fame.
- She values genuine fan connections and staying true to herself.
- Her VMA nomination is a milestone she cherishes.
- Touring life is hectic, requiring adaptability and minimal personal belongings.
- She embraces the spotlight while maintaining humility.
Summary
- Avril Lavigne prepares for and performs an acoustic set at a radio station.
- She discusses her excitement about playing the VMA pre-show and being nominated.
- The video captures her interactions with fans and crew, showing her down-to-earth personality.
- Avril shares insights about balancing normal life with rising fame.
- She talks about traveling life, living out of a suitcase, and personal items she carries.
- Avril reflects on her music career ambitions and the significance of her VMA nomination.
- The video includes candid moments with her band and tour team.
- She emphasizes the importance of staying humble despite success.
- Avril enjoys connecting with fans and values their support deeply.
- The footage offers a raw, personal glimpse into her life during a pivotal career moment.
Chapters
- 00:00Introduction and VMA Rookie Announcement
- 00:56Heading to Radio Station for Acoustic Set
- 01:29Arrival and Limo Reaction
- 02:20Radio Station Meet-and-Greet and Private Room
- 02:53Announcement of VMA Pre-Show Performance
- 03:24Avril's Thoughts on MTV and Sharing Music
- 04:26Fan Interaction and Having Fun
- 05:20Staying Normal and Humble
- 05:59Reflections on Fans and Personal Joy
- 06:52VMA Nomination Excitement
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
How much more time do we have ’til we have to leave? [Tour manager] ’Til we absolutely have to leave?
Speaker A
[Laughs] I would say 10 minutes? OK. At this moment, I'm talking to a lens, and the guy behind the camera, but, in a bit, this is gonna be going out to the world.
Speaker A
So, really, I'm talking to a whole bunch of people, and that's trippy [laughs]. I don't even remember my day right now.
Speaker A
[Producer] That's alright. I have it all written down. Remind me. [Camera person] Avril, where are we going today?
Speaker A
Tell us what we're doing. Right now, we're on our way to get into a van, and that van's gonna take us to a radio station, and we're gonna play — do an acoustic set of, like, three songs for —
Speaker A
[Taubenfeld] Winners! - Some winners [laughs]. Winners! - We love winners. Oh my God, come on!
Speaker A
F**k! [Avril] I walk outside, and there's a limo pulled up, and I was like [grunts]. Hate limos!
Speaker A
I mean, it's like they're cool and stuff, and they're fun, but at the same time, it's like, "Please, stop it!" There you go!
Speaker A
Oh! - High-fives. Where are we? - Atlanta. This is where Usher's from. [Avril] Atlanta! Woo!!
Speaker A
C'mon. Don't, hey —Avril! [Avril laughing] I only did that to freak you out, you know?
Speaker A
[Avril] Right, the radio show. That was cool. Sometimes... the radio station will put on, like — put together, like, a little meet-and-greet where I come in and do an acoustic set, sing a few songs.
Speaker A
[Tour manager] We've got a room for you guys over here with some beverages, and it's your private room, if you wanna come in.
Speaker A
This is what I ate last night for supper. This is what I ate last night for supper.
Speaker A
OK, you can't drink pop before you sing. When I drink pop, when I go to sing, all I do is burp, when I'm up in front of the microphone, like — [Mimics burp noises] So, I'm gonna drink some pop [laughs].
Speaker A
[Crew Member] You know, most Americans don't call it pop? Oh, you call it soda, don't you?
Speaker A
So, you want some good news before you guys go on? I just got off the phone with Shauna, and you're playing the pre-show at the VMAs.
Speaker A
[Taubenfeld] Alright! High-fives. High-fives. She's really much more excited than she looks. That's awesome. And I think I'm presenting an award, too.
Speaker A
That's really cool. [Off camera] That's very cool. People are like — - [Off camera] Congratulations.
Speaker A
Thank you. [Tour manager] I'll go find out when we're on. [Interviewer] I want you to talk about, like, playing up there after, you know, the history that's been up on that marquee.
Speaker A
I mean, that's — Honestly, I don't know too much about — I don't even know where it is.
Speaker A
[Interviewer] Right, Radio City. I don't know anything [laughs]. All I know is that I'm really excited, 'cause it's the award show.
Speaker A
It's an award show, ah! You know, I'm from Canada. So, we didn't get MTV, and I've only started watching MTV — started a little about a couple years ago.
Speaker A
There's gonna be a lot of people there, and, like, it's gonna be like — it's MTV!
Speaker A
It's gonna be all across America. That enables me to share my music with the world.
Speaker A
Wait, we have to sing "Complicated." [Taubenfeld] What's easy to start with, "Mobile"? Easier on your voice, "Nobody's Fool"?
Speaker A
"Nobody's Fool," "Complicated," "Sk8er Boi"? [Taubenfeld] And then, if you feel like it, "Mobile"? OK, "Nobody's Fool," "Complicated," "Sk8er Boi." [Taubenfeld] Yeah. - Alright.
Speaker A
This is a really cool room! [Radio Show Producer] You dig it? - [Taubenfeld] It's awesome.
Speaker A
[Avril] That was a really cool one today. I think today was my favorite, out of every time I've done that.
Speaker A
The kids there were fans, they knew my music. It was, like, a really cool vibe in there, Really cool atmosphere.
Speaker A
[Announcer] If there's anybody out there that would like to ask a question of Avril Lavigne?
Speaker A
[Off camera] This little girl. When do you get to go out and have some fun?
Speaker A
[Crowd laughs] I'm out right now, and I'm having fun right now! It just might, you know, it's — I am having fun.
Speaker A
I'm having a lot of fun. I mean, I guess what you probably mean is, like, can I go to the movies with, like, friends, and can I go shopping, and that kind of stuff?
Speaker A
I saw ‘Austin Powers.’ Like, I mean, I, sometimes — sometimes, I get to go out and do stuff.
Speaker A
But not very often. [Radio Announcer] You strike me as a person that wants to also remain as normal as possible, right?
Speaker A
Totally, 'cause I am normal. [Radio Announcer] Yeah. - [Crowd laughs] [Avril] I don't ever want to be one of those people who have a big head and think that they're something special.
Speaker A
I'm no better than anyone else, and no one else is any better than me.
Speaker A
Fans come up to me, [sighs] and tell me that I'm just being myself, and I don't care about what other people think, and that, like, I act like myself.
Speaker A
When fans come up to me and say that kind of stuff, it just, you know, puts a smile on my face that's very irreplaceable.
Speaker A
Like, it just touches me, and it just makes me so happy. [Avril] I had fun.
Speaker A
[Off camera] You get some new bracelets? Yeah. They always come up to me and want some of mine.
Speaker A
So, I give them some of my bracelets, and they give me some of theirs.
Speaker A
I just love it when people, like, come up to me, and they're like, "You're so cool. You're like yourself.
Speaker A
You don't, you know, like, get all caught up in the bulls**t." Fans are, like, the most — they're so awesome.
Speaker A
So awesome, I love them so much. [Alternative music playing] [Taubenfeld] We're playing. It's really cool that we're performing.
Speaker A
On the rooftop. It’s gonna be fun. [Camera person] Have you ever seen the VMAs when you were — No, I'm just really excited that, like — - [Taubenfeld] That's where all the coolest bands play.
Speaker A
Dude, I got nominated. That's f**ked. - We're gonna win. That's f**ked. No, we're not! - We're gonna win.
Speaker A
No, we're not! - If we don't win, then we deserve to win. You heard it here first.
Speaker A
Everyone's a winner. [Avril] I don't know. It's just happening so fast, and that's — being nominated?
Speaker A
Oh my God, I'm being nominated! That's so cool. Like, now, the rest of my life, I can say got nominated for something, you know?
Speaker A
This might be the only time this ever happens. [Avril] When I was younger, like all growing up, whenever I watched awards shows, I'm like, "I'm gonna be up there one day doing that!" And now, I get to go
Speaker A
and have some fun. And now, the rest of my life, I can say that I got nominated for something!
Speaker A
If I win or if I don't, which I'm not gonna, 'cause — My prediction is Ashanti.
Speaker A
[Driver] Bye, bye! - Thank you, have a good day! [Driver] You too, y'all. [Avril] We're sleeping here tonight?
Speaker A
[Tour manager] You betcha. Two sleeps? Two sleeps in one bed. - [Avril] In one bed?
Speaker A
That's new. Japan. Japan, eight sleeps in one bed! Right? - Yep. That's awesome. I literally live out of a suitcase.
Speaker A
So, it's not like I can wake up and be like, “[Yawns] What am I gonna wear today?” And walk over to my dresser and be like, “Ah, what shirt should I wear?” So, this is my life.
Speaker A
This is my suitcase. This is my suitcase that I can literally fit in. It's so big.
Speaker A
Inside my suitcase. And these are all my hair products. I like Dickies. They always, like, give me stuff.
Speaker A
So, these are all my hair products. This is something you won't see me with very often, but I do own a purse.
Speaker A
[Laughs] [Off camera] I've never seen it. [Laughs] Yeah, you haven't seen it. [Camera person] You don't use it though, right?
Speaker A
No, sometimes — Look what's in my purse, microwave popcorn [giggles]. Sometimes, I have moments. There’s — I have a Blackberry.
Speaker A
This is the one that I wore in the “Sk8er Boi” video. I wore this tie, and this is the knot that was in it.
Speaker A
And I'm not gonna take it out. I just, like — I think it'd be cool if I don't untie this tie.
Speaker A
I leave it as how it was tied in the video, just for, like, my own sake.
Speaker A
Sometimes, I wonder if, like, you know, what I really want is to have a long career, and, like — ’cause I'
Speaker A
and as I get older, and I'm maturing more, and going through different things, and I'll write about other stuff, I wonder, sometimes, I’m like — I wonder what my style or whatever is gonna be like in, like, a couple albums,
Speaker A
if I'm gonna be, like, more — or when I'm 25, if I'm gonna be mom-looking, or — I don't know.
Speaker A
[Interviewer] Do you know how to be a celebrity? Do I know how to be a celebrity?
Speaker A
I don’t know if I know how to be a celebrity. I know how to act like myself, and that’s what I’m doing.
Speaker A
That’s all I’m worrying about. [Avril] OK, are we coming back? [Bodyguard] No. We're gonna go straight over to the gig after we eat.
Speaker A
OK. What shoes should I wear? These? Yeah, I think I'll wear these. [Camera person] A lot of firsts this year.
Speaker A
A lot of firsts, yes. My first time — my first award show is the MuchMusic Video Awards.
Speaker A
My first nomination, my first video, my first CD, my fans are my first fans ever [laughs].
Speaker A
That makes sense. My first time leaving North America, the first time having my own band.
Speaker A
It’s the first time that the void that I’ve had is being filled, ’cause now, I’m finally getting to do what I wanted to do all my life, and that’s be in the spotlight and share my music with the world,
Speaker A
and I’m so happy. I’m really, really happy! [Restaurant chatter] [Bodyguard] Do you wanna sit back there in the corner?
Speaker A
[Spicoluk] ’Sup, Av? - Hey. You guys having a good day? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah! - Good. Oh, yeah!
Speaker A
We gotta eat fast. - Yeah. [Avril] I love the guys so much. We all just, you know — We’re a total family.
Speaker A
I love them all so much, and I love them all equally, and they’re my bros, they’re my boys.
Speaker A
They’re amazing. [Avril] We’re performing at the MTV Video Awards. High-fives! Of course, we’re performing at the VMAs! - Yeah, we rule!
Speaker A
Yeah! - Woo! Of course! - What song? I think we might be doing “Sk8er Boi” and “Complicated.” Of course! - Two?
Speaker A
Both of them? - We’re playing on the roof! What?! Of course. Where else would we play?
Speaker A
That’s our new thing now with this band, like, ’cause every day has been crazy.
Speaker A
It’s like, “You’re doing this now!” So, every day, we just wake up and go, “Of course!” [Camera person] Where are we going?
Speaker A
We’re going to the venue. We’re going to go rock and roll. We’re not leaving yet.
Speaker A
OK, we’re not! [Laughs] [Off camera] Avril! [Laughs] [From car]♪Why you gotta go and make things so complicated?♪ [Laughs] [From car] C’mon, we love you!
Speaker A
OK. So, you are driving up with us? - [Camera person] Yeah, yeah. Bye! - [Off camera] Bye!
Speaker A
[Driver] I’m gonna get you guys in the gate here. I’ll pull in. - [Bodyguard] Alright.
Speaker A
What time is it? [Bodyguard] You’re talkin’ about — What time is it? [Bodyguard] It’s 20 after.
Speaker A
And we go on at 40 after? [Bodyguard] What's that? - We go on at 7:40?
Speaker A
[Bodyguard] I believe so — oh no, I think it's been changed to 8 o’clock now.
Speaker A
’Cause, remember, I have to do my warmups, I think, in the car. [Avril] I mean, even before [‘Let Go’] came out, people, like, downloaded stuff off — downloaded my songs off the internet and were, like — knew all my lyrics and stuff, like,
Speaker A
even before “Complicated” came out, and I was playing that song live, there’d be, like, people up on stage, like, that knew all the words to all my songs.
Speaker A
And like, I thought that was cool, ’cause, like, before any of this happened with me being all over TV and in the magazines, people knew who I was and liked me, and, you know, took the time to download my songs
Speaker A
and learn all the lyrics. [Crowd cheering and screaming] [Avril] This is the best letter.
Speaker A
She says, “What makes your music so awesome is that you say what you feel and you’re not afraid to say it.
Speaker A
I admire you for doing what you want and saying what you feel without letting anyone change you.” [Off camera] Five minute warning!
Speaker A
I’m so glad that people notice that. It’s so awesome. [Spiculock] Alright guys, put it in.
Speaker A
[Colburn] Ready? - [Brann] Let's do it. Motherf**ker motherf**ker! You guys start — Matt, you start, and then, I run up after?
Speaker A
[Brann] While I’m doing the fill, you run up. OK. When you hear — [Imitates drum fill] When you see me run, OK?
Speaker A
Yeah. - Count to two. It’s like, I run, and you go, “One, two...” Run out.
Speaker A
[Announcer] She’s got the No. 1 single in the country! [Crowd cheering] [Announcer] Give her a warm welcome, Avril Lavigne!
Speaker A
[Crowd cheering] [Interviewer] Tell me about the show you played today. [Avril] Today? The vocals weren’t that great, but it doesn’t matter ’cause I just had fun.
Speaker A
The crowd was, like, so into it, and, you know, we connected. Like, everything’s just so new, and I’m just, like, sitting with my eyes wide open, like, “Ahh!” I’m just taking it all in.
Speaker A
I’m just having so much fun. [Rock music playing] [Colburn] Thank you so much! [Camera person] How’d it go?
Speaker A
[Avril] Awesome. That was the coolest f**king crowd ever. Ever! And that's a wrap. [Laughs] [Interviewer] All this press, all these radio shows, all these fan moments, is it worth it to get to — I mean, is that what’s getting you to the VMAs?
Speaker A
Is it worth it to get there, like, to do all that stuff? All the hard work that everyone has put into this project has definitely been paying off.
Speaker A
And so, it’s really rewarding to be going to an award show. It’s the coolest thing.
Speaker A
[Avril] I know how lucky I am to have all this success, and fans, and fame.
Speaker A
I’m so lucky, ’cause there’s so many people out there who are talented, and who work so hard, and, unfortunately, they don’t get this far.
Speaker A
So, I know, and I always remind myself just how lucky I am. Just so, so lucky.
Speaker A
[Avril] Thank you for today. [Interviewer] Hey, thank you. Very cool. Have a good night. - Thanks, guys. Thank you.
Speaker A
[Bodyguard] Thanks, everybody. [Interviewer] See you at the VMAs, thanks a lot.
Topics:Avril Lavigne2002MTV PreludeVMA rookieacoustic setbehind the scenesmusic careerfan interactiontour lifepop punk
