Avril Lavigne is back again to share her brand new single, Head Above Water. After a five-year absence, the Canadian singer is making her long-awaited return with a very emotional song recounting her difficult battle with Lyme disease.
The single was released on Wednesday morning, accompanied by a lyric video. This ballad is accented by its blend of string and piano hooks, with a slow buildup, both lyrically and instrumentally.
WATCH BELOW: Avril Lavigne gets personal with emotional new single, Head Above Water
READ MORE: Avril Lavigne reveals she was diagnosed with Lyme disease
Although the song was only co-written by Lavigne, she admitted in a statement how the idea stemmed from a very personal and emotional moment in her life:
“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.”
After releasing and touring her self-titled album in 2013, Lavigne released — unbeknownst to her — her last single before facing many personal struggles, which ultimately put her career on standby.
In April 2015, Lavigne released the single Fly to support the Special Olympics World Summer Games. It was released as a charity single, and all proceeds went to the Avril Lavigne Foundation, a charity started in 2010 to support individuals with disabilities and life-threatening illnesses.
In the fall of 2015, she divorced her Nickelback-frontman husband, Chad Kroeger, and then went public with her Lyme disease diagnosis. She battled the disease for an entire year before dropping off the public radar and going quiet for almost two years post-announcement.
READ MORE: Shania Twain says Lyme disease caused her to lose her voice
On Christmas Day 2016, Lavigne tweeted out thanks to her followers for their love and support. She announced an upcoming album, something she was very excited about.
The album was initially expected for 2017, but Lavigne decided to take her time writing the album because of its personal importance.
Avril Lavigne’s untitled album will be produced by Grammy- and Academy Award-nominated composer, Stephan Moccio. Moccio also produced Head Above Water, which is now available on iTunes and all streaming platforms.
No release date for the upcoming album has yet been confirmed.
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