Avril Lavigne is killing two birds with one stone -- she is reaching out to her fans even as she publicises her new album.

The singer visited 21 shopping malls in the US and three in her native Canada to introduce songs from her upcoming CD, Under My Skin.

'We thought it would be cool to put on a free show and give back to fans,' 19-year-old Avril told Billboard.

The idea was hugely successful. With crowds that ranged from a few thousand to 10,000, they were forced to move some of the shows outside.

'It's been great,' said a thrilled Avril, who was dubbed the 'anti-Britney' when she first hit the airwaves.

Accompanied by guitarist Evan Taubenfeld, she sang sets that included five new numbers and previous hits like Sk8er Boi (no 10 on the Billboard Hot 100) and Complicated (no 2). I'm with you, which reached no 4, was the third hit from her first CD, Let Go, which released in 2002 and sold 14 million copies worldwide.

'With the new album [which releases May 25] I've changed and grown. You can tell I'm older. I think, lyrically, I've kind of stepped up a notch,' she told Billboard.

Photograph: Jo Hale/Getty Images