In the 2000s, Hilary Duff’s name was impossible to ignore. A teen idol who rose to fame in the titular role of Disney Channel show Lizzie McGuire, she became one of the era’s most successful multi-talents, releasing a string of chart-topping pop albums and laying down the career blueprint followed by the likes of Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez.
Coming 11 years after her last studio album, at first glance it’s easy to view Duff’s return to the pop world as a calculated move in an industry obsessed with the rear-view mirror. After one spin of ‘Luck… or Something’ however, it’s clear that the intention is not simply to cash-in on the success of her former identity, but to reintroduce the now 38-year-old to the world, embracing every step of the journey that’s led her to this point.
After a decade spent raising a family, adding to her list of acting credits and reckoning with her reputation as a teen star, Duff’s return comes in a warm, remarkably candid form.
Coloured by domesticity and co-produced largely by her husband Matthew Koma, it swaps out the glossier EDM of her mid-2010s era for something softer, flecked with nostalgia but confident enough to never have to rely on it.
While the sun-soaked opener Weather For Tennis and synth-fuelled Future Tripping lean into the bouncy pop characteristics of her past work; it’s on Mature and Roommates that we see the biggest growth in Duff’s songwriting. The former looks back on her younger self with equal parts compassion and grief, and the latter channels her diaristic flow into a slightly nervous song about long-term love going stale, exploring the desperation of trying to claw back intimacy from the monotony of routine.
Elsewhere, We Don’t Talk reflects upon a strained relationship (rumoured to be pointing to Duff’s younger sister Haylie), while The Optimist embraces specificity, opening with a vivid recollection of a trip to a hypnotist before verging into sorrowful reflections on Duff’s relationship with her father and her tendency to disconnect from her emotions.
Not every lyric on ‘Luck… or Something’ lands cleanly, its plainspoken approach occasionally feeling a little awkward, but there are plenty of moments here that showcase Duff’s growth into a great songwriter. Aiming not to rewrite her story but simply to bridge the gap between two chapters of her life, it lets the memories sit in the room with a healthy dose of introspection, building bright, bold pop songs around them.
Hilary Duff Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows
Sun September 06 2026 - DUBLIN 3Arena
Tue September 08 2026 - CARDIFF Utilita Arena Cardiff (formerly Cardiff International Arena)
Thu September 10 2026 - LONDON O2 Arena
Sat September 12 2026 - MANCHESTER AO Arena (formerly Manchester Arena)
Sun September 13 2026 - GLASGOW OVO Hydro
Tue September 15 2026 - LONDON O2 Arena
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