Falling in love was the last thing Avril Lavigne expected when she stepped into a Los Angeles recording studio with Nickelback frontman and fellow Canadian Chad Kroeger, 37, last February.
Their plan was to co-write just one song for Avril’s fifth studio album, but the partnership proved electric on all levels.
“We do the same thing and I think that understanding is hard to come by,” Avril, 27, tells Hello! Canada in an exclusive interview, adding, “He makes me laugh every day!”
Theirs is a love story that many never saw coming. Until January, the “Complicated” singer – who is divorced from Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley – was in a two-year relationship with reality-TV personality Brody Jenner. Chad was once engaged to Maarianna Goriuk before calling it quits some time ago.
But now that they are together, Avril and Chad seem to be a perfect fit. Sharing all the charming details of their romance and engagement exclusively with Hello Canada, the pair opens up about their growing love, his thrilling proposal, and their plans for the future together.
HC: Avril and Chad, congratulations! You fell for each other while working on Avril’s album. When did the sparks first begin to fly?
Avril: We hit it off in the beginning and became really good friends right away. Our relationship didn’t start until the toward the end of making the record
Chad: Once I joined Avril in Paris [in the spring], I knew I was falling for her. It was incredibly powerful and something I’ll never forget.
HC: Avril, how did Chad propose?
Avril: I’d been making a scrapbook the whole time I was in the studio, with my Polaroid camera. I would bring it with me everywhere. It was our fourth session in the studio and I walked in on August 8 and Chad was scrapbooking. He asked me to come over and see the page he just added in. I walked over to the book; he flopped the page and there was a picture of him holding the ring and the words “Will you marry me?” he got down on one knee and said “Avril, look at me, I’m really nervous right now. Will you marry me?” I said yes right away! That scrapbook has a lot of great memories for me but that page is by far my favorite!
Chad: Once she saw it, there was no turning back. I was so nervous, I got down on one knee and before I could get the full sentence out she said “yes.” It was definitely one of the most powerful moments of my life.
HC: Avril, tell us about your engagement ring
Avril: it is so beautiful. I love it! It’s 14.01 carats, pear-shaped with two half-moon side stones from XIV Karats Beverly Hills.
HC: Chad, why did you choose that ring?
Chad: You just don’t see that many pear shaped diamonds out there. The second I saw the stone I immediately knew it was just as unique as she is.
HC: What attracted you to Avril?
Chad: One of the first things I found myself attracted to was her courage. She moved to France on her own and was living there by herself so she could learn French. She is absolutely fearless. There is something so sexy about that. We started off as friends and then fell in love. There is a level of mutual respect that is so pure and wonderful it made me want to spend the rest of my life with her. I feel like the luckiest person alive because I get to be with my best friend everyday.
HC: As a musician, how did you like working with her?
Chad: Working with Avril has led to some of the most amazing collaborations I’ve ever been a part of. She can do things with her voice most singers only dream of. I find her truly inspirational.
HC: Do you think there is a special bond between you as Canadians?
Chad: It’s funny that we always speak of the kinship and familiarity of us both being Canadian. There is just a common bond between us in that aspect that we both cherish.
HC: Avril, what do you love most about Chad?
Avril: He’s Canadian! He is a really good guy and has such a kind heart. He takes care of me in every way and is extremely attentive. He makes me laugh every day. He’s very consistent, smart, hardworking. We both understand each other’s lives and careers. We do the same thing and I think having that understanding is hard to come by. We have a lot of respect for each other.
HC: What would fans be surprised to learn about him?
Avril: I’m not sure what people know about him but I was surprised to learn how funny he is.
HC: What did your families say about your engagement?
Chad: You never know what your parents are going to say when you tell them you’re getting married – especially when its with someone they haven’t met yet! My mom is a huge fan of Avril’s, so putting her on speaker phone and telling her the news was hilarious and equally embarrassing.
Avril: Everyone who has met him loves him. Everyone is super stoked for us. The reaction from our friends and family has been awesome!
HC: Have you been to each other’s hometowns yet? (Avril was born in Napanee, Ont.; Chad hails from Hanna, Alta.)
Chad: Not yet. I find that almost as terrifying as telling your parents you’re going to tie the knot. You just never know when someone is going to come out of the woodwork with a story that starts off with “Let me tell you about the time…” But I know she is dying to take me to La Pizzeria to try her favorite pizza in the world!
HC: Avril, have you started planning your wedding yet?
Avril: I know exactly what I want. I have the whole thing planned out in my head. It will be a huge celebration!
Avril Ramona Lavigne was born on 27 September 1984 in Belleville, Ontario, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, fashion designer, and actress. She made her debut into music scene when she was 17 years old, her debut album, called 'Let Go' and released in 2002, made Avril the youngest female soloist to reach #1 in the UK and the album was four-times platinum. Her second album, Under My Skin, was released in 2004 and was her first album to peak at #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200. 
