VN: Lovely Avril, welcome! Here at Virgin.net the rule is "the bigger the star, the bigger the love" – can you feel the love?

Avril Lavigne: "Oh definitely! Thank you for having me, and for the love."

VN: It's a pleasure. So how are you? Are things still "complicated"?

Avril Lavigne: "Aaah no! At the moment everything is good and my life is not complicated at all, things were more complicated when I released that song but everything is cool now, life is good."

VN: Wonderful, although it must be a little bit complicated to be nineteen and one of the biggest stars in the world - can you still do normal things like fart and stuff? Are pop star farts more melodic?

Avril Lavigne: "Oh definitely, that's not a problem! It's not easy always being in the public eye but that's what comes with the job, you just learn to deal with it and try to get as much privacy as possible. You have to keep personal things to yourself."

VN: You're becoming one of the most famous female singers in the world, are you worried that Britney or Christina Aguilera might try to have you secretly killed?

Avril Lavigne: "Oh dear, I hope not; I've never even met them so I hope they wouldn't have any bad feelings towards me. I don't have any opinions on them, we've never spoken so I don't think there are any bad feelings; I think I'm safe! They do their thing, and I do mine."

VN: Now that you're a big star do you realise that Justin Trousersnake is going to put you on his hit-list? Are you worried that you'll become a target of his magnetic lust trousers?

Avril Lavigne: "I don't mind! I don't have a problem with Justin Timberlake, I'm a single girl!"

VN: Oh good, he'll be delighted, you could be lucky number 985,348. So tell us about your fantastic new song, Don’t Tell Me.

AL: "Do you like it? Cool, I think it's very funky and it has a message - it's about pressures guys put on girls when they're in relationships, it's very personal."

VN: Yeah, my boyfriend always pressures me to watch Neighbours, and I hate it. Do you watch Neighbours?

AL: "Is it a TV show? I don't get much time to watch TV anymore, I'm always travelling and touring."

VN: Oh dear - do you get enough time to party and do other things teenage girls your age get up to?

AL: "Oh yeah, absolutely, I know how to party, there's always time to party! I love to drink and have fun - I don't do drugs, that's stupid, but I can drink and go pretty wild."

VN: What has been the wildest party you've ever enjoyed?

AL: "Oh wow, that's a good question, it's difficult to remember the best ones! I like to have fun in the hotels I stay in and sometimes there can be some wild stuff in the private hotel bars."

VN: Do you worry about being a good role model for your younger fans?

AL: "I realise I'm in a privileged position and my fans might look up to me but I don't expect to be seen as a role model. My fans shouldn't think I am some perfect girl whose behaviour should always be copied."

VN: Do you feel it's difficult to alter your image as you mature? Do you think a lot of people see you as a "skater chick"?

AL: "Yeah, it is difficult. It's not easy to know how people perceive you. My new album is more mature and I'm changing as an artist, so I just hope that my fans will appreciate that and enjoy the music as it changes. I was only seventeen when Complicated went to number one - I've been in this business since I was a young kid, things change, my tastes in music develops all the time."

VN: So if I take you on a date tonight, what music would you like to dance to? Do you follow new British music - any favourites?

AL: "I love a lot of bands over here, I think the Darkness rock! I love them, and Oasis are wonderful as well, I love to dance to anything that rocks! If it rocks, then I’ll dance, there are lots of great bands over here."

VN: Is it lonely being a single girl and touring all around the world?

AL: "It's difficult to be lonely because I'm always surrounded by so many people - I have lots of really good folk who come with me when I tour, they're with me all the time. I shouldn't complain, I'm leading an amazing lifestyle and I get to perform my music all over the world. Sometimes it can be hard, but right now I'm happy."

VN: Avril, it has been a joy. Some final words of wisdom for the lovely Virgin.net users?

AL: "Just enjoy the music, turn it up loud and smile! Thanks for all your support, make love not war."

VN: Sounds like a perfect plan.

By Justin Stoneman