After starting to feel the effects while on the road in support of her self titled album and seeing many doctors during that time, Avril was diagnosed with Lyme Disease in December of 2014. Although Lavigne has released two singles in the time since her diagnosis, her music career has largely been paused in order to fight the disease.
In a statement on her website, Avril shares the inspiration from the song: "I'm in a battle," she sighs. "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." The music video for "Head Above Water" released today, in celebration of Avril's birthday, and can be viewed below.
Throughout the rest of her coming album, Avril says we can expect songs detailing her trials from a perspective of triumph: "This is me and my fight," she affirms. "This album tells my story."
Lavigne concludes her statements: "I went through a lot to get here. The positive side is I didn't stop living my life. Having music while I was healing and in recovery definitely pulled me out of my darkness. I had a goal to work towards and a purpose. I hope the album touches people. We all go through challenges in life. Some unfortunately are more serious than others. Having gone through the battle of my lifetime, I'm stronger than ever and looking forward to sharing my renewed voice and energy for my life with my fans through this new music."
