Teen pop-rocker Avril Lavigne [ tickets ] will play surprise shows at malls in 21 North American cities in the coming weeks, paving the way for the May 25 release of her sophomore album.

The outing, which will feature acoustic sets by Lavigne with guitarist Evan Taubenfeld, is expected to open next week in Minneapolis. Local radio stations and AOL CityGuides will announce the location of each performance 48 hours before each show. Fans can also request an email notification via the avrillavigne.net website.

Lavigne's forthcoming album is titled "Under My Skin", and she penned it's first single, "Don't Tell Me," with Taubenfeld. A sample of the track, which is expected to hit radio stations next month, is streaming at Lavigne's official website.

"Under My Skin" is the follow up to Lavigne's 2002 debut, "Let Go," which hit No. 1 on The Billboard 200 album chart, and has sold more than 6 million copies in the U.S. to date, according to industry sources.