Avril Lavigne Addresses ‘Fake Avril’ Conspiracy Theory in Hilarious TikTok: WATCH
Is that really you, Avril Lavigne?
In a hilarious new TikTok, Lavigne pokes fun at the conspiracy theory that rules her social media comments to this day.
In the clip, Lavigne can be seen standing in what appears to be a tour bus under. "Every comment on my Instagram," the video is captioned.
The video is part of a trend where the person compares two scenarios using one of TikTok's viral sounds.
The first response: "Why'd you have to go and make things so complicated?"
But the second, which is supposed to be the more common scenario, reads: "Are you the real Avril?"
Watch below:
The conspiracy began with a 2011 Brazilian blog post titled "Avril Esta Morta," according to Nylon.
The post alleged that the real Lavigne died in 2003 after a deep depression following a death in her family. Then, rather than lose the success of her career, a doppelgänger named Melissa was hired by the record label to replace her.
According to the blog, the supposed proof behind the theory was the absence of certain moles, slight changes in Lavigne's appearance and fashion and a photo shoot where the singer had the name "Melissa" written on her hand.
Lavigne has acknowledged the theory in the past, too. "Yeah, some people think that I'm not the real me, which is so weird. Like, why would they even think that?" she pondered in a 2018 Australian radio interview.
The conspiracy theory is so popular it even has its own Wikipedia page, and the Melissa jokes persist to this day.
In the comments of Lavigne's TikTok, fans continued to question if this is even the real Avril Lavigne.
"I'm even more sus now," one fan wrote, while another commented, "But are you?"
And in a joke that encompassed both captions from the video, a fan quipped, "This just made it so complicated."
It's fun to see celebrities get in on fandom jokes, and Avril is definitely in on the Melissa rumors.
The video has over 12 million views and counting, while another nostalgic TikTok she posted after it already has over 10 million.
To the tune of "I'm Just a Kid" by Simple Plan, that clip shows Lavigne standing in a city crosswalk and crossing her arms, flashing back to her 2002 debut album cover Let Go.