Hilary Duff Confronts Comparisons to Younger Pop Stars in Candid Interview
Hilary Duff has publicly addressed the frequent comparisons drawn between her music and that of contemporary female artists like Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter. The 38-year-old actress and singer, who recently returned to music with her new album Luck... or Something, made her feelings clear during an appearance on the Table Manners podcast with hosts Jessie and Lennie Ware.
'I Am Older, and I Was Here First'
During the conversation, Jessie Ware noted similarities between Duff's new work and the sounds of Taylor Swift, 36, and Sabrina Carpenter, 26. Ware suggested this felt 'full circle,' as both younger artists likely grew up listening to Duff's early music from her Disney days. Duff, however, expressed hesitation about such comparisons.
'I have a really hard time talking about other female artists and trying to compare,' Duff stated. 'The internet is so fast to hear something one time and then be like, "Oh reheated Sabrina." This cruel Internet take that is so wild. And you're like, first of all I am older, and I was here first! And there's plenty of space, obviously, for everyone.'
Reflections on Originality and Inspiration
Duff acknowledged the challenges of originality in modern pop music, explaining that inspiration often comes from previous works. 'It's very hard to be completely original anymore,' she said. 'You just have to go to the studio and make what you think is cool and what you want to blast in the car with your windows down. That's the record that I wanted to make, and it's pop. So pop is popping, and a lot of that takes cues from other songs or sounds.'
Despite her initial resistance, Duff admitted that comparisons to Swift and Carpenter could be seen as complimentary. 'If anything, it's a compliment, because these women are out there, and it feels like they've put a lot more time in than me. I stepped away to have a family,' she reflected, referencing her nearly 11-year hiatus from music since her last album Breathe In. Breathe Out. in 2015.
Family Estrangements and Personal Struggles
Elsewhere in the podcast, Duff opened up about painful family estrangements, particularly with her sister Haylie Duff and father Robert Duff. She described the 'disintegration' of her family as the thing she would most want to change if she could. 'There's a lot of family trauma and disintegration of family, which has been really challenging,' she shared.
Duff has channeled these emotions into her music, specifically in the song We Don't Talk, which she confirmed is about her sister. 'It's definitely about my sister,' she said on CBS Mornings. 'And just absolutely the most lonely part of my existence is not having my sister in my life at the moment.'
The lyrics reveal the depth of her pain: 'If it's 'cause you're jealous, God knows I would sell it all, then break you off the bigger half... Let's break it down. So sick of being so sad about how we don't talk and you won't talk about it.'
Navigating Father Relationships and Public Scrutiny
Duff also touched on her complicated relationship with her father, Robert, who served jail time for contempt related to family asset sales after her parents' 2008 divorce. In her song The Optimist, she sings: 'I wish I could sleep on planes and that my father would really love me.'
She described their relationship as intermittent: 'There's times where I talk to my dad and times where I don't talk to my dad. I do have a pretty sunny disposition, but a lot has gone down, and that's life.'
Balancing Career and Family Life
Duff's return to music comes after focusing on her family. She shares three daughters—Banks, seven, Mae, four, and Townes, one—with her musician husband Matthew Koma, who co-produced her new album. She also has a 13-year-old son, Luca, from her previous marriage to retired ice hockey player Mike Comrie.
Despite the personal challenges, Duff remains grateful for the life she has built. 'I've had a lovely life. I'm so blessed. I get to go home to the amazing family that I've created for myself,' she said. 'And I would ship all of this off to always make sure that I had that.'
Her new album Luck... or Something marks her first musical release in nearly a decade and her return to touring after 18 years, signaling a significant chapter in her evolving career and personal journey.
