Avril Lavigne 'Re-Inspired' By 'X Factor' Mentor L.A. Reid

		11.30.2011 6:53 AM EST
		'I never had that connection with anyone ever again,' she tells MTV News of label exec, who signed her at age 15. by Jocelyn Vena

Avril Lavigne made headlines earlier this month when she signed with Epic Records, reuniting her with early mentor L.A. Reid.

The "X Factor" judge helped shape the early part of the Canadian pop star's career when he discovered her at the top of the millennium and signed her to Arista, launching her to pop-star status. Now that Reid is at Epic, he decided it was a good time to get back together with the singer.

Lavigne couldn't be happier that Reid snatched her up.

"It's really exciting for me, because L.A. Reid signed me. He met me when I was 15, and he signed me on the spot. We did my first album together, and it was really successful and then what happens in the record industry, you know, changes are made," she told MTV News. "We didn't get to work together, and I was so bummed out, 'cause I never had that connection with anyone ever again, like, my whole career at the record company."

Ever since they were split up, Lavigne and Reid have hoped to reunite. "Every time we'd see each other, [we'd be like] 'We want to work together again,' so we've been waiting for this day," she said. "Now he is the president of Epic Records, and I just was able to move over, and so he's taking over for me and we're working together again."

Thanks to their reunion, Lavigne is able to focus on what she does best: make music. "We're also starting music for a new record for 2012," she said. "So I feel, like, really re-inspired, and I feel like it happened at the right time, 'cause I was really discouraged with record-company stuff on my last album. It was not something I was looking forward to dealing with again. Now I'm so excited."

Earlier this year, Lavigne released her album Goodbye Lullaby, which features her current single, the Max Martin-produced ballad "Wish You Were Here."

What are you expecting from Avril and L.A.'s reunion? Let us know in the!