The singer's new single, 'Head Above Water,' is now available for download and streaming.
Avril Lavigne's birthday couldn't be any sweeter.
The singer turned 34 on Thursday, celebrating with a wonderful surprise for her fans. For the first time in five years, Lavigne released an all-new music video, for her latest single, "Head Above Water."
In the video, which ET exclusively previewed on Wednesday, Lavigne details the personal journey of her battle with Lyme disease. "I gotta keep the calm before the storm," she sings, looking ethereal in a white lace dress. "I don't want less, I don't want more."
About midway through the video, she then dives into the water, powerfully belting out the song's chorus: "God, keep my head above water / I lose my breath at the bottom / Come rescue me / I'll be waiting / I'm too young to fall asleep."
Lavigne, who co-wrote the song, explained the detailed inspiration behind the video in a statement to ET. "One night, I thought I was dying, and I had accepted that I was going to die," she recalled. "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 songwriting of this album began," she continued. "It was like I tapped into something. It was a very spiritual experience. Lyrics flooded through me from that point on."
The video was directed by Elliott Lester and filmed in Iceland and Los Angeles last month. Watch below:
In addition to the new single and music video, The Avril Lavigne Foundation -- which supports individuals with Lyme disease, serious illnesses and disabilities -- has launched a charitable #HeadAboveWater T-shirt campaign that will raise funds for those who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford treatment.
Back in April, Lavigne teased that new music was on the way while chatting with ET at the 25th Annual Race to Erase MS Gala at The Beverly Hilton, marking her first red carpet appearance in two years.
"I'm feeling a lot better ... I'm making a record right now. I have my life back which is amazing," Lavigne, who was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2014, said at the time. "It's something I continue to work at every day. And just, like, grateful to be making music. I've written a really powerful record, really emotional album sort of reflecting where I am today. I'm going to release that this year. I'm actually going to be done in two weeks."
"I mean, I write all of my songs and I always have, and these songs are different," she added. "I'm just sort of writing about what I'm going through now."
More from that interview in the video below.
RELATED CONTENT:
