If you ask any girl who was alive in the early 2000s what their first concert, TV show, or style inspo was, I’d be willing to bet that Hilary Duff would be a consistent contender in the conversation. As an undeniable Zillennial icon and one of the best examples of a child star whose life didn’t descend into chaos, Duff had the hits in her prime. “What Dreams Are Made Of” and “Come Clean” are staples in every nostalgia bait playlist, and we are all still rewatching the Lizzie McGuire movie. She invented Euro Summer after all.
On her long-awaited musical return, luck…or something, Duff gives her best shot at a pop comeback. Duff collaborated with her husband, producer Matthew Koma, who has worked with Canada’s own Carly Rae Jepsen and Britney Spears. Koma’s production is rarely the problem on this album, as the cliche pop sounds are highly reminiscent of his previous work, but remain fun and very listenable. The songs are clearly inspired by the hit pop on the charts now, with “Roommates” sounding eerily similar to Taylor Swift’s smash hit “Antihero”.
The lyrical content on this album is its definite weakness, with awkward phrasing and sentences that come out of the blue being way too honest, like on “The Optimist” when she blurts out “I wish that I could sleep on planes, and that my father would really love me” in the chorus. The throughline of the album is clearly defined by the stress and anxieties that can arise in long-term relationships, especially with kids. This is best done on “Tell me that won’t happen,” an anthem for the anxiously attached that sounds like The 1975’s “The Sound”.
Most of the album details partner arguments and marital issues, tackling a dry spell on “Roommates” and “You, from the Honeymoon”, and an honest display of her insecurities in “Holiday Party,” where Duff reveals that in her head “you live another life, where you f*ck all my friends and wish someone else could’ve been your wife.” A staggering moment of honesty that is ten times more interesting when you find out that Koma is her primary collaborator. Cheers to open communication, I guess.
The obvious highlight of the record is Mature, the lead single. A catchy pop song with the child star theme of reflecting on how men you dated who were way too old to be interested (think 29 by Demi Lovato, or All Too Well). This song is all too relatable for anyone who looks back at being a young woman with disappointing hindsight. It stands out amongst these songs as the most cohesive and transferable to 2026 pop radio. This could be due to Madison Love’s writing credit, who has worked with the current “Hilary Duffs” of the Gen Alpha generation, including KATSEYE and Blackpink.
Overall, Duff gives it her best shot at redemption on this record, but the draw continues to be her past work. Her three-stop tour earlier this year was one of the toughest tickets to score in Toronto, and I understand why. The crowds are there to hear the greatest hits and reminisce about a time without responsibilities, taxes or brainrot, frankly, something we could all use right now. This album is worth a listen for Disney Channel veterans and pop fans, but if you want to press play on “What Dreams are Made Of” one more time instead, I won’t judge you.