Taking the World by storm - Avril Lavigne releases Head Above Water Music Video

Thursday 27th September, Avril Lavigne has released a visual video to link with her worldwide number 1 single "Head Above Water". Alongside celebrating the release of her debut single, and a music video, the 33 year old Canadian singer celebrated her 34th birthday, surrounded by all her loved ones. Lavigne took to Instagram moments after releasing the video to the world saying "It makes my heart so unbelievably full to premiere the #HeadAboveWater music video for you all today, on my birthday. From the very first day I started writing this song, I have been inspired and gathering visuals and imagining what the music video could look like. @ElliottLester88, I respect you so much. You are insanely talented. Thank you for working closely with me and hearing my ideas. You not only completely captured my vision, but took this video to an entirely new level, even when it meant going all the way to Iceland. You are my hero. I loved every moment of working on this video with you. Thank you to my co-writers @traviswethekings, I know God brought you to me to work with me and @Stephanmoccio, You slayed on this track. I'm obsessed with the production. Chad Kroeger and @CBaseford, thank you for recording my vocals. You all worked together so well. You all took such good care of me and had my back through this experience. I can't thank you enough."  

Lavigne's video is the visual aspect to the true meaning behind the song. The song uses a vast range of mise-en-scene to represent the emotion. It can largely be argued that there is a sense of pathetic fallacy throughout the entire video because, the colours are dull, they are blacks, whites and greys; which can all link with feeling low and depressed. In relation to the mise-en-scene, Lavigne is dressed in a long, figure hugging white dress with thin, long, tulle sleeves; this is making Lavigne look angelic making the scenery devil like, another way to look at it is that she is the light in the dark. Essentially GOOD VS EVIL, Angel VS Devil. The music video is a picturesque example of what Lavigne went through and felt during the worst challenge in her life. The limited flashes of colour in the music video come near the end of the video, where she begins to see the light, she begins to rely on God. The tints of red, blue and green is a way of keeping the audience enhanced into the video and it symbolises the change that Lavigne went through.

The video opens with beautiful scenery which at first glimpse looks peaceful and quiet yet when you dig deeper into the colours it is a representation to Lavigne's struggle. Cliffs and open oceans, one symbolising and end and another symbolising a constant endless journey.  Then finally caves, being symbolic of darkness and being alone. Apposing to the scenery throughout the video, there is a ample range of camera shots, ranging from close ups so we can see Lavigne singing with emotion, over the head shots so that we can see more of the scenery from a different angle as well as a range of long shots, wide shots and tracking shots so that we get to experience the entire thing as if we were there with her.

The use of fog and cloudy weather, represents the lyrics "I gotta keep the calm, before the storm", the pathetic fallacy is what represents the lyrics within the song, whether its storms, or the thunderous strikes of the drums. The shots during the entire video, cuts to the beat to show a large range of different shots in such a short amount of time. However it makes it really enjoyable to the audience to see, because we get an insight into the vision that came from Lavigne with this song.  Between 2.06 and 2.16 there is a pause in the music, and we get the audio from the scenery which creates a pause within the song that builds the suspense and keeps the audience hooked in because, it keeps them wondering what they are going to see next. Additionally by doing this we get to feel the shift in the emotions, as it is building the audiences anticipation. One vital shot during the entire video is the tracking shot of Lavigne running up the cliff to the edge, then it cuts off to a shot of Lavigne jumping into the water which is significant to the lyrics "keep my Head Above Water". 

During the final minute and a half of the video we get a range of different colour tints; which adds a bit of finesse to the video and keeps it looking appealing to the audience, instead of keeping it black and white. It is a way of showing the switch in emotion, the black and white is her explaining that she had given up, she was ready to give in to the fight whereas the colours automatically switch the mood. This also links with the light flair that we see near the end of video, when Lavigne is under the water. It is a spiritual, and religious representation of Gods presence in Lavigne's most struggling moments.

Finally, the video credits end the video with a small amount of text about Lyme Disease and The Avril Lavigne Foundation; which was created by Avril Lavigne to raise money and help towards helping young people with Lyme Disease. Essentially the ending titles are a way of telling the audience what her song is about, in-case they were unaware.

Avril Lavigne fights back; sharing an insight into her 3 year struggle!

Avril Lavigne, Canadian alternative rock/pop punk/pop rock singer, songwriter and actress has released a debut single from her new upcoming album. 'Head Above Water' is the first song that fans have heard from Lavigne since her release of 'Fly' for the 2015 Special Olympics in Los Angeles, California. 'Fly' was released following her recent reveal of her life-threatening battle with Lyme Disease, which had strongly prevented her from performing for years.  Lavigne had spoken in many interviews, admitting that she had "accepted death" The 33 year old, last released an album in 2013 which was her fifth album; self titled 'Avril Lavigne'. 23 Singles, 8 EPs, 1 Live Album, 5 Studio Albums, and 3 struggling years later, we finally are hearing the struggles that Lavigne has faced within this new album; set to release in 2019.

Lavigne's music has never lacked the finesse of drama, however with this new debut song 'Head Above Water', it is far from a metaphorical battle to stay alive, it is something that she personally has experienced. This song addresses directly the struggles that she has faced with Lyme Disease, which has kept her out of the public eye for a few years. Following this, this song is "the first song" that Lavigne "wrote from...bed during one of the scariest moments" of the singers life. Just days before 'Head Above Water' was due to be released the Canadian singer had written a letter to fans announcing the single, and within the letter the singer admitted "I had accepted death and could feel my body shutting down. I felt like I was drowning. Like I was going under water and I just needed to come up for air...unable to breathe. Praying to God for Him to help me just keep my head above the water". The lyrics to this song, started off with simple feelings turning into lyrics, whilst lying in her mother's arms, and eventually brought them to the co-writers of the song Travis Clark and Steven Moccio.

'Head Above Water' still follows the style of other songs by Lavigne, but it is a softer material which fits the style of the song perfectly and expresses the emotions in a strong, emotional and raw way. This is a piano driven ballad song that is announcing Lavigne's comeback and a release of feelings that the 33 year old singer has kept personal for some time. It is a powerful ballad, that builds up as you reach the chorus with a mix of piano, strings, synths and a thunderous like set of drum beats. The lyrics give the audience an insight into the search for hope and faith Lavigne had faced countless, times while her body fights the life-threatening disease, and her voice injects the urgency of needing this faith and hope for God to help her through the toughest moments, that she has had to face since being diagnosed back in 2015.  In a statement Lavigne spoke "Under my breath, I prayed 'God, please help to keep my head above 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".

Nevertheless, this debut single is a very emotional, raw and meaningful song. Within every lyric, and every composed chord you can truly feel the emotion that Lavigne is foreshadowing the entire song. "I can't see" how any of the fans could not find this song, a chilling, emotional song that is depicting all the emotions that Lavigne went through. The whirlwind of faith and hope within the song, from the very first lyric to the very last chord "I can't seem to keep it all together" because this song really tugs on the heart strings, especially if you're a long time ultimate fan of Lavigne; then this song is right down your alley. This composition, really depicts the amount of faith, hope and praying that Lavigne experienced through the last 3 years of her life. The struggles that she has faced and the challenges she has had to overcome. "God don't let me drown" is most likely the most powerful sentence within this song as it explains the entire song perfectly. Additionally it is the most moving and spiritual part of the chorus, as Lavigne needed to look to someone to help her keep her "head above water", she wanted someone to "come save me" and initially wrote this song so that she could express everything she has felt since her diagnosis. Also it is a way of explaining to her fans that "my life is what I'm fighting for".  Not only is this song and album here to express Avril Lavinge's life the past 3 years, but it is also her way of spreading awareness of Lyme Disease. Lavigne also spreads awareness using her foundation, (The Avril Lavigne Foundation) which raises money for Lyme Disease research and for people who are battling with Lyme Disease.