Death hoaxes aren't anything new when it comes to celebrity culture, but a conspiracy surrounding Canadian pop star Avril Lavigne has found new life after resurfacing on the internet this past weekend.
A number of Twitter users looked to give weight to the wild allegation that Lavigne took her own life in 2003 following the death of her grandfather. The conspiracy says that because Lavigne passed away at the peak of her career, her record company hired a lookalike by the name of Melissa Vandella to impersonate her.
Those running with the conspiracy have looked for proof in the singer's change of appearance throughout the years, pointing out changes in her skin, jawline, makeup style and fashion choices, with one user even going as far as to compare handwriting styles.
Others point to possible clues hidden in the lyrics of Lavigne's songs, while more people feel a promotional photo in which she has the name "Melissa" scrawled on her hand is proof enough.
The theory is thought to have come from a Brazilian blog titled Avril Esta Morta (Avril Is Dead), which a BuzzFeed reporter deemed to have been set up to "prove how easy it is to start a big internet conspiracy theory." You can find some of the internet super-sleuthing below, and take in the entire thread here.
A similar rumour moved around the internet last year concerning Atlanta rap icon Gucci Mane, with fans alleging that the rapper's embrace of a sober, healthy lifestyle meant he had been cloned.
A number of Twitter users looked to give weight to the wild allegation that Lavigne took her own life in 2003 following the death of her grandfather. The conspiracy says that because Lavigne passed away at the peak of her career, her record company hired a lookalike by the name of Melissa Vandella to impersonate her.
Those running with the conspiracy have looked for proof in the singer's change of appearance throughout the years, pointing out changes in her skin, jawline, makeup style and fashion choices, with one user even going as far as to compare handwriting styles.
Others point to possible clues hidden in the lyrics of Lavigne's songs, while more people feel a promotional photo in which she has the name "Melissa" scrawled on her hand is proof enough.
The theory is thought to have come from a Brazilian blog titled Avril Esta Morta (Avril Is Dead), which a BuzzFeed reporter deemed to have been set up to "prove how easy it is to start a big internet conspiracy theory." You can find some of the internet super-sleuthing below, and take in the entire thread here.
A similar rumour moved around the internet last year concerning Atlanta rap icon Gucci Mane, with fans alleging that the rapper's embrace of a sober, healthy lifestyle meant he had been cloned.
avril lavigne is dead & was replaced by a look alike: a conspiracy theory thread pic.twitter.com/9eearQ2rte
— 🅴 (@givenchyass) May 13, 2017
so she decided to hire a look alike to walk around LA for her and pose for the paparazzi (avril on the left, look alike on the right) pic.twitter.com/wNSrDVh09i
— 🅴 (@givenchyass) May 13, 2017
Avril Lavigne would never promote a slim secret bar. the jig is up Melissa https://t.co/6pvrkC8q7p
— reggie (@1942bs) May 14, 2017
the avril lavigne is dead theory will be true unless she posts a picture of her and her look alike together
— nicole (@wcapaIdi) May 14, 2017
