Hilary Duff on Her Influences, Taste, and Returning to Music

(Image credit: Atlantic Records)

If you ever wanted to know who is on your favorite singer's playlist, or what albums inspired the latest “it girl” the most, tune in for Marie Claire’s resident music franchise Listen Up. In this interview series, we ask musicians about their listening habits and the specific records that informed their taste—and inherently their journey as an artist.

Hilary Duff has done what few other teen stars have: achieved staying power. It’s not lost on her that her ‘00s pop hits and beloved tv and film roles raised a generation—and even as she took a decade-long break from music, that fans have always been eager to hear more.

Now, Duff is ready to soundtrack the next era of her listeners’s lives. On February 20, the singer/actress released luck… or something, her sixth studio album and first LP since 2015’s Breath In. Breath Out. Duff, 38, tells Marie Claire over Zoom she’s “honored” that she’s been able to reintroduce herself as a musician in an industry that tends to disregard female artists after a certain age. “I’m completely moved and ecstatic that I still get to come to play.”

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 “make a record about someone in their 30s.” For the project, she also worked with her husband, music producer Matthew Koma; it allowed her to feel more empowered to speak up about her artistic vision in a way she didn’t always in the past.

hilary duff poses in a brown fur coat with wet hair in a still from her luck or something album promotional images — "Mature," the lead single off luck...or something, earned over 5 million streams in its first week of release.

Together, they created Duff’s most confessional work to date. “It was very cathartic to make this record, but also at the same time, I cared a lot less about, Oh, what’s the outside world going to think about this?, and I think that just comes with age.”

“It has an emotional depth, but it's disguised as fun,” she adds of the glistening, ‘80s-homage tracks. “I think that really sums up what the mission was, and what I'm drawn to in my musical taste, anyway.”

With luck… or something out now (and a highly anticipated tour on the way), 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.

text that says who was the one artist who inspired you the most growing up how did you discover them

The first time I lyrically paid attention to something—and it took over my brain—was Jagged Little Pill [by Alanis Morissette].

text that says what was the first album you bought

Spiceworld [by the Spice Girls].

hilary duff poses while wearing a green sweater and sparkly skirt as she walks through a door with a window pane on it in a still from her roommates music video — The singer describes her latest release as her favorite album she's ever made.

text that says what is your 10/10 no skips album

Rumours by Fleetwood Mac is a 100 percent perfect album. And then Tragic Kingdom [by No Doubt]. I remember being in my childhood bedroom and making up dances with friends to “I'm Just a Girl.”

text that says what era of music or scene do you wish you could have experienced for yourself

Well, I did get to experience—but if I could place my adult self in it—all the way through the ‘90s into early 2000s. Third Eye Blind, Semisonic, R.E.M.—I would love to be back in that time as a young adult.

Maybe I should form a side project, like a grungy girl group. See if Sabrina Carpenter wants in. It's like the dirty “Lady Marmalade.” Less polished, more grunge.

text that says is there a live performance that altered your perception of what a how could be

Taylor Swift. She’s the one who leveled up the game for me for live shows. The Eras Tour was so sick.

text that says what's your favorite artist merch you've ever owned

I'm on Taylor Swift'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.

hilary duff wears a fur coat while lying in the back seat of a vintage car driving down a dimly lit neighborhood street in a photo promoting her album luck or something — Duff has dropped music videos for all three singles off *luck...or something*: "Mature," "Roommates," and "Weather for Tennis."

text that says who would you most like to collaborate with

I have to say Alanis. She's the epitome of the coolest for me.

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’s queen.

text that says what is a song you wish that you wrote

We're going to head on back to the '80s. It's really random—and it's not even like it connects with me so much—but I could just listen to it over and over and over and over again. It's just the feeling of it. Paul Simon's song “You Can Call Me Al.”

Also, anything on Rumours. “Everywhere” [off Tango in the Night]—I fucking love that song. It's pretty simple, but it's so beautiful.

text that says what do you listen to when you want to cry or feel down

Tapestry [by Carole King].

hilary duff lies on a blue carpeted floor in front of curtains wearing a sweater black shorts and black socks in a photo promoting her album luck or something — Later this year, Duff will set out on her "the lucky me tour," her first tour over in 18 years.

text that says what do you listen to when you're getting ready to go out

I'm either listening to legit yacht rock or hip-hop.

text that says what do you listen to when you work out

If I'm with friends, one of my friends is a hip-hop queen, so it's a lot of Saweetie and Latto. We'll listen to that, and I will listen to “MMMBop” radio. Or dead silence.

text that says what is your favorite music to listen to when you're driving

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

Any chance I get will be ‘90s, or we all can agree on Olivia Dean for a few tracks. I love her fully, but Mae-Mae thinks the beginning of “Man I Need” where she’s like, “Talk to me / Talk to me,” is “Sesame / Sesame.” I live for that.

My husband, Matt, has insane musical taste. He's more like Bruce Springsteen, Brandon Flowers is one of his heroes, and Dawes. So Mae-Mae will also be like, “Dawes is my favorite band.” And I'm like, “I think Dawes is Daddy's favorite band, and he's driving you somehow to say that, but that's fine.”

This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.

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Sadie Bell is the Senior Culture Editor at Marie Claire, where she edits, writes, and helps to ideate stories across movies, TV, books, music, and theater, from interviews with talent to pop culture features and trend stories. She has a passion for uplifting rising stars, and a special interest in cult-classic movies, emerging arts scenes, and music. She has over nine years of experience covering pop culture and her byline has appeared in Billboard, Interview Magazine, NYLON, PEOPLE, Rolling Stone, Thrillist and other outlets.