Olivia Rodrigo Covers Avril Lavigne's 'Complicated' at First Sour Tour Show in Portland

Olivia Rodrigo is paying homage to one of her pop-punk predecessors: Avril Lavigne.

The Grammy-winning "brutal" singer opened her Sour Tour at the Theater of the Clouds in Portland, Oregon on Tuesday and performed a cover of Lavigne's 2002 hit, "Complicated," amid the inaugural show's 13-song set.

"This next song is a song I really love by the pop-punk princess herself, Avril Lavigne," Rodrigo, 19, said onstage before singing the 37-year-old musician's signature track atop of a grand piano to a ravenous audience response.

Lavigne wasn't the only fellow female rocker Rodrigo paid tribute to during the concert. In addition to all 11 songs from her 2021 debut album Sour, including the chart-topping hits "drivers license" and "good 4 u," Rodrigo also performed a cover of "Seether" by '90s alternative rock band Veruca Salt.

Honoring women musicians who paved the way for Rodrigo was seemingly a theme of the evening, as Rolling Stone reported the pre-show playlist featured songs by Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Michelle Branch, and Fiona Apple.

In December 2021, Lavigne presented Rodrigo with the Songwriter of the Year award at the Variety Hitmakers Brunch in Los Angeles, a moment the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series actress described as "so surreal."

"This year, we were introduced to a new artist whose debut album marked a major return for rock 'n' roll on the charts," said the "Sk8er Boi" singer. "Olivia's singles from her album Sour have been a part of the collective psyche of 2021, and she wrote every single one of them. Her songs are personal, her songs are raw, and her songs are relatable."

While accepting the award, Rodrigo expressed admiration for Lavigne's artistry. "First of all, I want to thank Avril for coming here today. I am such a massive fan of you," she exclaimed. "I look up to you so much. So, this is so surreal for me. Thank you for the love and support."

Following the event, Rodrigo shared photos holding her award and posing with Lavigne to Instagram alongside the caption, "Thank u @shirleyhalperin and @variety for naming me songwriter of the year🥺 and thank u sweet avril for giving it to meeee."

Underneath the post, Lavigne left a sweet comment for the rising superstar: "You're an amazing songwriter. Congrats on everything!"

Rodrigo's Sour Tour is set to span venues from North America to Europe through July.