{"id":299754,"date":"2026-02-24T12:53:22","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T12:53:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/299754\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T12:53:22","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T12:53:22","slug":"hilary-duff-on-her-influences-taste-and-returning-to-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/299754\/","title":{"rendered":"Hilary Duff on Her Influences, Taste, and Returning to Music"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you ever wanted to know who is on your favorite singer’s playlist, or what albums inspired the latest \u201cit girl\u201d the most, tune in for Marie Claire\u2019s resident music franchise Listen Up<\/a>. In this interview series, we ask musicians about their listening habits and the specific records that informed their taste\u2014and inherently their journey as an artist.<\/p>\n

Hilary Duff<\/a> has done what few other teen stars have: achieved staying power. It\u2019s not lost on her that her \u201800s<\/a> pop hits and beloved tv and film roles<\/a> raised a generation\u2014and even as she took a decade-long break from music<\/a>, that fans have always been eager to hear more.<\/p>\n

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Now, Duff is ready to soundtrack the next era of her listeners\u2019s lives. On February 20, the singer\/actress released luck\u2026 or something<\/a>, her sixth studio album and first LP since 2015\u2019s Breath In. Breath Out.<\/a> Duff, 38, tells Marie Claire over Zoom she\u2019s \u201chonored\u201d that she\u2019s been able to reintroduce herself as a musician in an industry that tends to disregard female artists after a certain age. \u201cI\u2019m completely moved and ecstatic that I still get to come to play.\u201d<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

Having lived a lot of life since the last time she was in the studio, Duff explains it was important to the hitmaker that she \u201cmake a record about someone in their 30s.\u201d For the project, she also worked with her husband, music producer Matthew Koma<\/a>; it allowed her to feel more empowered to speak up about her artistic vision in a way she didn\u2019t always in the past.<\/p>\n

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“Mature,” the lead single off luck…or something, earned over 5 million streams in its first week of release.<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Aaron Idelson)<\/p>\n

Together, they created Duff\u2019s most confessional work to date. \u201cIt was very cathartic to make this record, but also at the same time, I cared a lot less about, Oh, what\u2019s the outside world going to think about this?, and I think that just comes with age.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has an emotional depth, but it’s disguised as fun,\u201d she adds of the glistening, \u201880s-homage tracks. \u201cI think that really sums up what the mission was, and what I’m drawn to in my musical taste, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

With luck\u2026 or something out now (and a highly anticipated tour on the way<\/a>), Duff tells Marie Claire all about that taste, from the singer-songwriter who still leaves her starstruck to the Gen Z pop star she and her kids can agree is great.<\/p>\n

Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.<\/p>\n

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The first time I lyrically paid attention to something\u2014and it took over my brain\u2014was Jagged Little Pill<\/a> [by Alanis Morissette<\/a>].<\/p>\n

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Spiceworld<\/a> [by the Spice Girls<\/a>].<\/p>\n

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The singer describes her latest release as her favorite album she’s ever made. <\/p>\n

(Image credit: Vince Aung)<\/p>\n

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Rumours<\/a> by Fleetwood Mac<\/a> is a 100 percent perfect album. And then Tragic Kingdom<\/a> [by No Doubt<\/a>]. I remember being in my childhood bedroom and making up dances with friends to \u201cI’m Just a Girl<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

What to read next<\/p>\n

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Well, I did get to experience\u2014but if I could place my adult self in it\u2014all the way through the \u201890s into early 2000s. Third Eye Blind<\/a>, Semisonic<\/a>, R.E.M.<\/a>\u2014I would love to be back in that time as a young adult.<\/p>\n

Maybe I should form a side project, like a grungy girl group. See if Sabrina Carpenter<\/a> wants in. It’s like the dirty \u201cLady Marmalade<\/a>.\u201d Less polished, more grunge.<\/p>\n

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Taylor Swift<\/a>. She\u2019s the one who leveled up the game for me for live shows. The Eras Tour <\/a>was so sick.<\/p>\n

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I’m on Taylor Swift<\/a>‘s mailer list, so I get all of her mailer merch. I’m always really excited about it. I would like to stay on that list and continue racking my little Taylor corner in my closet.<\/p>\n

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Duff has dropped music videos for all three singles off luck…or something: “Mature,” “Roommates,” and “Weather for Tennis.”<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Alfred Marroquin)<\/p>\n

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I have to say Alanis. She’s the epitome of the coolest for me.<\/p>\n

I was actually at a Taylor show in a “Taylor Tent,” and I was in there with Alanis. It was like the restaurant brought me all the desserts for free. It was insane. I was so distracted because I was in there with Alanis. She\u2019s queen.<\/p>\n

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We’re going to head on back to the ’80s. It’s really random\u2014and it’s not even like it connects with me so much\u2014but I could just listen to it over and over and over and over again. It’s just the feeling of it. Paul Simon<\/a>‘s song \u201cYou Can Call Me Al<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also, anything on Rumours. \u201cEverywhere<\/a>\u201d [off Tango in the Night]\u2014I fucking love that song. It’s pretty simple, but it’s so beautiful.<\/p>\n

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Tapestry<\/a> [by Carole King<\/a>].<\/p>\n

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Later this year, Duff will set out on her “the lucky me tour,” her first tour over in 18 years. <\/p>\n

(Image credit: Alfred Marroquin)<\/p>\n

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I’m either listening to legit yacht rock or hip-hop.<\/p>\n

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If I’m with friends, one of my friends is a hip-hop queen, so it’s a lot of Saweetie<\/a> and Latto<\/a>. We’ll listen to that, and I will listen to \u201cMMMBop<\/a>\u201d radio. Or dead silence.<\/p>\n

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Unfortunately, my kids dominate the radio. So Mae-Mae, my 4-year-old, is deep on Kpop Demon Hunters<\/a>. And Banks wants to listen to Harry Styles<\/a>. Then my son, Luca, wants to listen to Lil Tecca<\/a> and Kendrick [Lamar<\/a>]. They all know a lot.<\/p>\n

Any chance I get will be \u201890s, or we all can agree on Olivia Dean<\/a> for a few tracks. I love her fully, but Mae-Mae thinks the beginning of \u201cMan I Need<\/a>\u201d where she\u2019s like, \u201cTalk to me \/ Talk to me,\u201d is \u201cSesame \/ Sesame.\u201d I live for that.<\/p>\n

My husband, Matt, has insane musical taste. He’s more like Bruce Springsteen<\/a>, Brandon Flowers<\/a> is one of his heroes, and Dawes<\/a>. So Mae-Mae will also be like, \u201cDawes is my favorite band.\u201d And I’m like, \u201cI think Dawes is Daddy’s favorite band, and he’s driving you somehow to say that, but that’s fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.<\/p>\n