Avril Lavigne

The singer-songwriter's intimate, acoustic performance on The First Take reminded fans of what made Avril so great in the first place.

I listened to this a lot when I was in high school. Avril’s performance of “Complicated” is partially in celebration of the 20th anniversary of her debut album, 2002’s Let Go, of which “Complicated” was one of her most successful songs. She has a lot of songs but this one is the most iconic. That’s a testament to just how popular Avril Lavigne was–and still is–in Japan. A moment later, the familiar opening notes of “Complicated” are strummed on a single acoustic guitar, and Avril begins with the her iconic “Uh huh…Life’s like this.” But though the arrangement is simple, it doesn’t lack any of the power or emotion that’s usually packed into the song. The channel allows fans to experience the genuine talent of singers and songwriters, and to really feel the raw emotion behind the song.