Avril Released Her Version Of An Iconic Kelly Clarkson Song 20 Years Later

In honor of its 20th anniversary, Avril Lavigne blessed fans with a deluxe re-release of her hit debut album Let Go on June 3. Along with updated versions all of the classic favorites like “Complicated” and “Sk8r Boi”, Lavigne added a few new treats to the mix, including a familiar song you’ve never heard performed like this. After two decades in the vault, fans can finally hear Avril Lavigne’s version of the Kelly Clarkson single “Breakaway.”

Almost every cheesy early 2000s teen movie featured Kelly Clarkson’s song “Breakaway” as the main character longingly dreamed of their promising future — and you have Lavigne to thank for that. Among her many talents, Lavigne is a gifted songwriter that knows how to create a smash hit. Lavigne originally wrote “Breakaway” for her debut album Let Go, which was released in 2002, but ultimately gave the song to Clarkson because it didn’t match the other tracks on the album. The uplifting song was then released in 2004 as the title track for Clarkson’s sophomore album.

Of course, anyone who was listening to the radio in 2004 knows how the story went after that. Clarkson released “Breakaway” as the album’s lead single, and proved to be a massive hit. It was also prominently featured on the Princess Diaries 2 soundtrack.

Now, 20 years later, Lavigne finally got her chance to release her own version of “Breakway” and it’s so good.

Though the song tells the same story, the sound has a punchy punk vibe that matches Lavigne’s flair. In the first verse, she swaps out the word “rain” for “snow” as a nod to the snowy winters she grew up with in Ontario, Canada. It’s a subtle change, but it’s enough to set the tone for the way the rest of the song is so perfectly Avril Lavigne’s.

Back in February, Lavigne released her seventh studio album, Love Sux, which ushered in a new era of Avril Lavigne. Most of the songs on the album are performed solo, but there are a few tracks that feature artists fans know and love. Sticking to her pop-punk roots, Lavigne partnered up with Blink 182’s bassist and co-lead singer, Mark Hoppus, on the track “All I Wanted.” She also teamed up with Blackbear and MGK on tracks that give the album more color.

The re-release of Let Go comes at the perfect time, as Lavigne is set to join MGK on his North American tour that starts on June 8. As if that isn’t enough, Lavigne is also continuing her Luv Sux tour and plans to appear at several music festivals like Firefly and When We Were Young later in the year.

OK, BRB — listening to “Breakaway” and pretending to be the main character in an early 2000s romcom.