Hilary Duff Is Finally Recording New Music—This Is What Dreams Are Made Of

Hilary Duff is in the midst of another metamorphosis—she’s making music again. The pop star, actress, and Disney alum announced in September that she has signed with Atlantic Records, plotting her musical comeback. The label even shared a photo of Duff in the studio.

That’s not all: The former Lizzie McGuire star, now 37, will also release a docuseries tracing her journey to recording music again. Though we don’t have a release date yet, we do know it’s directed by Emmy winner Sam Wrench, who helmed Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour and A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter. Here’s what to expect, according to a press release: “Embracing the ups, downs, and everything in between, fans will ride shotgun as she balances raising a family, recording new music, live show rehearsals, and preparing to perform on stage for the first time in over a decade.”

The news comes 10 years after Duff’s last album, Breathe In. Breathe Out., was released in 2015. Her discography also includes Metamorphosis (2003)—which featured bangers like “So Yesterday” and “Come Clean”—her self-titled album (2004), Most Wanted (2005), and Dignity (2007).

Fans had already been speculating that Duff was on her way back to the mic. Earlier this year, her husband, Matthew Koma, shared a photo of her appearing to write music.

Duff previously told Cosmopolitan in 2022 that she was itching to record new material. “I have been talking to my husband about getting into the studio and starting to stretch the muscles a little bit,” she said. “I really want to, but I need time to figure out what I’m saying, what kind of record I’m making, and who it’s for. But yes, I want to. You know how annoying it is to go to a concert and they don’t play the hits? I want to serve people what they want, but I also want it to be authentic to who I am now, and that’s very complicated.”

It’s no question the world has been craving a Duff comeback. She was set to star in a highly anticipated Lizzie McGuire reboot (the news had millennials everywhere shaking), but it was later canned due to reported creative differences. Duff went on to star in Hulu’s How I Met Your Father, which was canceled in 2023 after two seasons. We’re hoping that, unlike the aforementioned two projects, Duff’s next album is a smooth success.

In mid-October, Duff revealed that her long-awaited return to music is just around the corner. “We’re getting something really soon,” she told Variety at an event in Los Angeles. “I have been hard at work in the studio with my husband [Matthew Koma] and a few other amazingly talented people. [My fans] are going to hear something so soon, like in the blink of an eye.”

She added, “I always knew I was going to return to music. I needed to feel safe and I needed to have the right people in my corner and be absolutely 100 percent ready. Honestly, I needed to have 10 years of life under my belt. I needed a lot to say. This album feels like the inner workings of my brain and I really am so excited to connect with people again on that level, that very forward-facing level.”

Duff was also excited to talk about her gay fans. “You know it’s all for them,” she said with a grin. “It’s just to impress them.”