About That Avril Lavigne Conspiracy Theory: Does Melissa Vandella Even Exist?
A brief investigation into the true identity of Lavigne's alleged lookalike.
Over Mother's Day weekend, a conspiracy theory circa 2015 reared its sassy head once more. Twitter user @Givenchyass shared a series of more than 50 tweets, breathing shady new life into the theory that Canadian punk rocker Avril Lavigne actually killed herself in 2003. If you've read the thread, you know the real plot twist came when Givenchy suggested a lookalike had been put in Lavigne's place. That lookalike's name? Melissa Vandella.
But here's the thing, discerning friends: Melissa Vandella, a vital component to this theory, may not even exist. At all.
Feel free to read the full thread before continuing:
Let's begin our argument with the fact that none of her socials are verified. As a matter of fact, her (many) Facebook and Twitter accounts seem to have been created around the time the theory first circulated two years ago.
There are currently 11 profiles on Twitter claiming to be "Melissa Vandella." In short, Melissa numbers one and two seem to be run by Portuguese fans.
Meanwhile, Melissa number three is (anonymuouzly) the prettiest girl in the world, and that's about all we know. The rest are trolling accounts created after the birth of the theory, derailing their viability.
Again, none of the Melissas are verified.
Same goes for a quick search on Facebook, which does little more than confirm that no one knows who the heck Melissa Vandella is.
A lack of social presence notwithstanding, there seems to be no actual proof or history that Vandella ever existed. A basic google search reveals no leads, no mention of the actress' name other than those involving the conspiracy.
No IMDb page, no agent, no presence, no existence.
Still, there is a notable difference between the Avril of 2002 and the Avril of today.
Our best guess? People's looks change over time. Both Lavigne's physical features and musical direction may have changed organically over more than a decade. It happens.
In conclusion, conspiracy theorists: Why do you have to go and make things so complicated?
For more on the conspiracy theory that Avril Lavigne died & was replaced by a lookalike, head here.
