Avril Lavigne can say she's followed in Paul McCartney's footsteps -- they both have a surprising number of people convinced that they're secretly dead and have been replaced by a lookalike.
Everyone's favorite punk princess started trending on Twitter Sunday night as an old conspiracy theory started circulating on the 14th anniversary of her single "Complicated."
Twitter user @givenchyass started it all with a lengthy tweet thread claiming that Lavigne killed herself in 2003 and her record label covered it up, replacing her with a body double named Melissa Vandella.
avril lavigne is dead & was replaced by a look alike: a conspiracy theory thread pic.twitter.com/9eearQ2rte
@givenchyass
The theory covers everything from the change in Lavigne's musical style and fashion choices to photos comparing the shape of her face, the location of certain birthmarks and her handwriting.
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View StoryIt even claims that "Melissa" left hints about Lavigne's death in the lyrics to some of her songs, including "My Happy Ending" and "Nobody's Home."
@givenchyass BIIIH SHE REALLY TRIED TO TELL US pic.twitter.com/YSgVMHP3sD
@kellyblaus
This story has actually been around for a while. It started several years ago on a Brazillian blog called Avril Esta Morta, which BuzzFeed reporter Ryan Broderick discovered was set up as an inside joke to show how conspiracy theories can seem true. In a funny twist, his amused tweets about the blog went viral and turned into a big internet conspiracy theory, completely proving the blog's point.
And now the story is back to ruin your work productivity for the rest of the day.
Me : y'all actually believe conspiracy theories?
@nutellaANDpizza
*reads avril lavigne thread*
Me: pic.twitter.com/XqaTzKn96k
me seeing avril lavigne conspiracies vs me after reading the thread #notmyavril pic.twitter.com/kMKgysMGNM
@superflxsh
Me trying to explain the Avril Lavigne comsipiracy thread to my housemates who don't have twitter pic.twitter.com/YDP8G47rOl
@earthdad10
Me: it takes a lot to convince me to believe in something
@Jaylynn_amber
*reads Avril Lavigne conspiracy theory thread* pic.twitter.com/DC8jMr1MOJ
Me: I don't believe in conspiracy theories
@girlhoodposts
Random thread on Twitter: Avril Lavigne died and was replaced with a clone
Me: pic.twitter.com/kZGImrTOFv
me: conspiracy theories are so fake lmao
@sifuerasrosa
me 20 seconds after reading the avril lavigne thread: pic.twitter.com/LprNMv34E2