Avril Lavigne releases her first new song in five years – about Lyme disease

Avril Lavigne has released her first new song in over five years - and it's about Lyme disease.

The Canadian singer-songwriter dropped her new track, 'Head Above Water' this week, detailing her recent struggle with the illness. Lavigne revealed that she had been diagnosed with Lyme disease back in 2015. She said the illness, an infection which can cause loss of mobility, heart palpitations, and headaches, led to her having to stop performing for years. Lavigne released 'Head Above Water' to detail her experience of the disease and to raise awareness for those who have it. The song includes the lyrics:

"My life is what I'm fighting for / Can't part the sea, can't reach the shore "And my voice becomes the driving force / I won't let this pull me overboard."

The 33-year-old shared an open letter earlier on this month ahead of the track's release saying that the past few years had been the "worst" of her life - physically and mentally. https://twitter.com/AvrilLavigne/status/1042535233629765632 On her website, she said:

“I fought Lyme Disease on antibiotics and herbs for two years. I tried to have a life, but was in bed the majority of the time, and it was very up and down with good days and bad days. “When you’re in bed for the better part of two years, you lose muscle mass and your entire body gets weak. I’ve had to work to get my endurance up."

You can listen to Lavigne's new song here.