Avril Lavigne has been hanging out at the mall lately -- not to shop, but to sing. It's only fitting for the girl from Napanee who, despite worldwide super-stardom, has not forgotten her roots.

Canada AM's Seamus O'Regan talks to Lavigne about how the tour is going, her latest CD Under My Skin and the responsibility she feels toward her fans.

Seamus O'Regan: Tell me what was the idea behind the secret cross Canada mall tour?

Avril Lavigne: We thought the whole mall tour would be really exciting. It's a surprise show in that we let everyone know last minute where we're gonna be. So it's really cool because it's my way of giving back to the fans by putting on a free show and we also get to play the new songs for them.

You know some people maybe can't make it out to shows and because I'm on promo tour I'm going to all these cities anyway, so I'm doing my promo during the day and then at the end of the day putting on a show. Performing is what I love to do. It's my favourite part.

O'Regan: It must be a great thrill?

Lavigne: Yah, I mean, I didn't really know what it was going to be like. I just thought that I'd be sitting in the mall just playing and people would be walking by, but it actually feels like a show. We have security and there's so many kids there.

The last show I played, there was 10,000 kids that showed up and we had to move it outside. But it's kinda funny because it's like supposed to be a mall tour and then we end up taking it outside.

I didn't really know that so many kids, thousands of kids would be showing up, so it's very exciting. I'm very thankful.

O'Regan: There's nothing formulaic about your music... you speak directly to your fans. I've always wondered, are you writing the kind of music that you wished people had written for you?

Lavigne: No. You know I just kinda write music that I like. I had producers work on this record that I liked the style of other bands that they've done before. I didn't really know what kind of record I was going to make but, the sound and the way it comes across, it's kinda like the stuff that I listen to, and you know, that stuff has an influence on me and the music I listen to, you know, inspires me.

O'Regan: How do you strike a balance between being able to reach out to all these kids and on the other hand, taking control and playing the music that you want to hear and taking things in your own direction. Sort of being your own person and at the same time being who your fans want you to be?

Lavigne: My fans like who I am. I mean, the last record, they really liked everything I did and the way I dressed and the music I brought to them. I understand I'm a role model to a lot of kids out there, they like me for who I am, and I just trust that. You know, my fans will stick with me as I grow and as I change and, you know, I'm not gonna write music for other people, I'm writing it for me and what I like and so far they've enjoyed what I've done, so hopefully, they'll all be able to stick by me.

O'Regan: You've taken a little bit more of a leap with this album?

Lavigne: Yah, I mean, I've definitely grown up a ton in the past couple years. I've experienced so much. I've been around the world and you know, in really weird situations, so I've learned a lot, I've grown up a lot so writing now with where I'm at, I'm really in touch with myself and capable of whatever's inside of me, whatever's on my chest. So I'm really capable of getting that out and expressing myself, and I am a deep person and I've been told by many people that I have an old soul. But you know, it's kinda weird.

O'Regan: It's a good thing.

Lavigne: I am an old soul. I'm a really, really deep person sometimes and I think I freak my friends out, but I also have a young spirit.

O'Regan: Tell me about your new friendship with Chantal Kreviazuk and Rain Maida?

Lavigne: Chantal Kreviazuk is like one of the most amazing people I've ever meant and I believe that God put her in my life for a reason, and she's just amazing

O'Regan: Do you ever call her up and say, 'Look, this is happening.' I mean at your age, there are few people who can relate to you and it just seems like Chantal would be the kind of person you could call and say, 'I'm just going through this, what you think?'

Lavigne: Chantal's great because she's older than me, and she's made records and she's been out there. And we have a lot in common and you're right, she's very wise, and she's taught me a lot. We talk every day, she calls me like, five times a day to ask, 'What are you doing, are you OK?' You know, always checking up on me.

And, I'm really glad we're friends because she's helped me out a lot and really helped me to be able to focus and I've spent so much time with her and at her house with her and she really, you know, taught me a lot and it's really healthy. Really good for me.

O'Regan: When I spoke with you last time in New York you were talking about this life on the road -- this kind of nomadic lifestyle that you've had for so long. And now you've settled down, you've got a place in Toronto. Does that make you feel more secure, any more centred?

Lavigne: Having my own place now, is very important because it makes me feel like I have everything under control, I know where I am, I'm based somewhere. Before I had all my stuff in a storage space and I was like 'I have no home!' And it, you know, it makes me feel like I have everything in line and I feel comfortable because I have somewhere to go now.

O'Regan: Are your folks happy with that? I mean, they must be happy that you've kind of found your own spot?

Lavigne: Yah. My mom's, you know, the fact that I've moved out was probably a little hard on her, but that's going to be hard on every mom. But my parents are really proud, and they don't worry as much any more about me as they did because they've learned and they've seen it for themselves, that I can take care of myself.

O'Regan: Do they keep your bedroom the way it is?

Lavigne: No, I moved out. My old bedroom went to my sister I think.

O'Regan: So whenever you go home, do you ever get the feeling that everything is kind of frozen in time. That you've changed so much that, your life has change and you've seen so much and yet everything just kind of keeps on going back in Napanee?

Lavigne: Yah, everything kinda seems the same, same old in Napanee. I mean, I haven't been there very much.

O'Regan: Avril, tell me about your participation with War Child?

Lavigne: I love War Child and I love doing whatever I can to help out, whether it's using my voice or talking about it and have younger kids listen to what I have to say about it.

Right now, I'm just like, reading books and trying to get educated on everything that is happening in Africa ... I just really want to take advantage of this situation I'm in and learn as much as I can about what's going on over there and what's happening to children over in these countries ... and hopefully teach other people.

O'Regan: You really seem to feel a responsibility in how you effect kids and what you do. Are you aware of that?

Lavigne: Yah! I'm totally aware that so many kids look up to me and listen to what I have to say. And because of that I need to do something really important because this world is troubled, there's a lot of issues.

And for most people the problem is they're not aware and I wasn't fully aware until War Child approached me and started talking to me about issues and problems around the world.

So now I just wanna learn as much as I can and do whatever I can and, you know, it's just, it's really bad and people need to know about it. So I'm gonna educate myself and stuff so I can talk about it more.