Avril Lavigne welcomed an addition to her family tonight onstage at Toronto’s Meridian Hall, when her cousin Bernie proposed to his girlfriend.
The 75-minute set was special anyway — her return to perform in Canada after a five-year absence, during which she had to gain back her health after contracting the debilitating Lyme Disease. Toronto also holds a special place for the Napanee-raised pop singer; she bought her first house in the city as a teenager when her debut album, Let Go, took off in 2002.
Clearly elated by the fan response and performing again, the 35-year-old, who is touring behind her new album, Head Above Water, revealed she had family and friends in the house, and began talking about her dad’s identical twin brother, who has one son who looks like her brother and a daughter who looks like her, she said. She has posted photos of the four of them on her social media in the past.
She then introduced her cousin Bernie Lavigne, who had a young woman with him.
“Well I am actually up here for a reason,” he said, dipping into his pocket, then getting down on one knee. While most of us couldn’t hear the proposal, we saw her nod and embrace, while Avril clapped. Bernie slipped the ring on his fiancee’s finger. “She said yes,” exclaimed Avril, raising her arm in the air. “Welcome to the family,” she said, giving her a hug.
Also during the show, Michael Clifford, lead guitarist from Aussie pop-punk outfit 5 Seconds of Summer, came out and played on “Sk8er Boi.”
I still have not fully processed the fact that I saw Michael Clifford perform Sk8er Boi with Avril Lavigne tonight
— Sarah —- (@GenialNiall) October 7, 2019
