When EW last talked to Avril Lavigne in July 2009, the Canadian pop-punk 星, 星级 spoke happily of collaborating with her then-husband, Sum 41 frontman Deryck Whibley, on her fourth album, scheduled for release that November.

Some seventeen months later, Lavigne and Whibley are no more, but the long-delayed Goodbye Lullaby is very much on—with an official release now slated for March 8, 2011.

EW caught up with the 26-year-old singer as she finished recording a pre-taped segment for Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.

EW: So 你 just finished performing the first single from Lullaby, “What the Hell,” for the first time in public—can 你 tell me about it?

Avril Lavigne: Yes! The song is 更多 pop and uptempo and kind of reminiscent of my old stuff, and the rest of the record is 更多 stripped and raw and a little deeper. So this album is less pop-rock than the 前一个 stuff, but the first single is a 更多 like that.

EW: So is it true that the album has been done for over a year? 你 sounded pretty frustrated in a letter to 粉丝 last month…

Yeah, pretty much. [laughs].

Has that been hard for you, to stand by, 或者 did 你 just set it aside?

Yes, somewhat. I’ve been really anxious just to get back out there and to sing and to tour, so I know that the 粉丝 were all really waiting, being super supportive, and I really appreciate that. 你 know a lot of people run into complications with their record companies sometimes where they have their vision, but I’ve always had my own vision for my 音乐 and I put my foot down, and 你 know, had to be strong about that, and 总体, 整体 I made the record that I wanted to make, so I’m very happy with it and very excited to finally be putting it out.

Are 你 tempted, when 你 have this lagtime, to go back and keep messing with it?

Um …. yeah. I worked on one 或者 two songs, not too many. When 你 spend over a 年 on a record like that, 你 kind of get burnt out on 写作 songs, so I didn’t really have that much left. Everything that I loved and that I wrote is on this record. I focused a lot over the past 年 on my clothing line, Abby Dawn, and getting the Avril Lavigne Foundation established and coming out with my 秒 fragrance, Forbidden Rose—the first one was Black Star. So I was really busy with a lot of that stuff as well.

If “What the Hell” is your “pop uptempo” song, what’s the most personal one on this record for you?

The most personal song? I guess I would say “Goodbye”—it’s the most vulnerable song I’ve ever written 或者 recorded, and it inspires the album title.

Were 你 surprised—well, I’m sure 你 had to be contacted for permission—but was it fun to hear yourself on the 蕾哈娜 song, “Cheers (Drink to That)”?

It was really exciting because “I’m With You” is one of my 最喜爱的 songs that I’ve done, I always 爱情 performing it. And I think Rihanna’s awesome, she has great songs, she’s a really great singer, so yeah I was excited. I think it’s really cool.

Who else have been listening to in the last couple years since your last album?

I listened to a lot of like, 鼠, 大鼠 Pack and jazz, and the radio a lot. But I just kind of throw 音乐 on when I’m 首页 and it’s in the background. One song I really 爱情 is the “Airplanes” song.

With Hayley Williams?

Yeah! That’s a favorite.

你 have tweeted about working with Alex tha Kid, who’s 更多 known for working with people like T.I., B.o.B, and Nicki Minaj. How has that been different than working with, say, Max Martin?

He’s just really cool and young. Actually none of the songs we did together are going on this album, but we’re gonna do something with that, stuff I’m just not sure what yet.

So are 你 ready to spend the 下一个 年 and a half on the road, and promoting this album?

I’m so excite to do the tour, because I’ve been at 首页 focusing on the studio stuff, the foundation, the clothing line, and I just 爱情 to sing and get up on stage and see the 粉丝 so I’m ready to get back out there.

Is this the longest you’ve been away from the stage since 你 started as a teenager?

Yeah, [but] I wouldn’t say it’s a break. Four years ago, the [last] record came out, and for two years I was on the road, so maybe people don’t understand that—a 年 of promotion, a full 年 of touring, and then I’ve been 首页 for two years, working on the record and the clothing line and the foundation and the fragrances, so I’ve been really busy but it’s … yes! The first time I’ve ever been 首页 for two years, ever.

What’s the focus of the foundation?

The focus is on sick and disabled children and youth. The reason I started it is that I was doing a lot of work with Make a Wish foundation and other charities, and I just really wanted to do more, so I was really passionate about starting my own foundation, so I’ve spent the last 年 just getting that started and focusing on what my mission is. It’s a really big project, it’s something that I’m just starting, so I’m really excited to get my 粉丝 involved now that I’m going to be back out there again, and have that grow.

Are 你 prepared to go on tour and see a sea of girls looking back at 你 wearing your clothes and smelling like your perfume?

Yeah! [Laughs] I wasn’t really on tour when the line came out, so I think that’s pretty cool because I actually wear the clothes. I’ve seen people in Abby Dawn before and gone up to them and been like “Hey, I like your hoodie.”

What should 粉丝 expect from the Dick Clark performance?

I perform “What the Hell” and “Girlfriend,” so it’s just my band and I up there rockin’ out, and it’s a fun performance, a lot of jumping around and celebrating.

Well, you’ll actually be able to celebrate New Years Eve 由 watching yourself on TV…

Yeah, this year! I guess you’re right. [Laughs]

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