Photographs by Sara Regan
If you haven’t been living under a rock for the last 20 years, Hilary Duff needs no introduction. The millennial icon graced our prepubescent screens with Lizzie Mcguire in the early 2000’s, followed by a flourishing acting and music career. For me, I have a vivid memory of being mesmerised by her ‘The Girl Can Rock’ Concert DVD, released in 2004. Duff is a pillar in the millennial zeitgeist and she brought ‘The Lucky Me Tour’ down under for a night of glitter, nostalgia and optimistic joy.
Piling into the number 70 tram, I was surrounded by butterfly hairclips, sequins, heavy bright eyeshadow and flared blue jeans… so many blue jeans. Given it’s been over 15 years since Duff last visited, it was no wonder Rod Laver Arena sold out 2 nights in a row. Melbourne outdid itself with the rain as fans hurried inside. But not without first getting a picture with the glowing arena billboard, plastered with Duff face. Now, soaked through from the torrential rain, as I found the way to my gate, I was overcome with giddy. Fans showed up and showed out, dressed as Lizzie and Isabella from The Lizzie Mcguire Movie, the iconic igloo look from the same film, multiple cartoon Lizzies, wig included. The atmosphere in the arena truly was something to behold. Before Duff even stepped on stage, the crowd sang popular 2000’s hits with unbridled joy.
The lights dimmed and the arena erupted, Duff sauntering onto stage to kick off the show with ‘Wake Up’ from her 2005 album ‘Most Wanted’. A synthy ‘anything is possible’ pop anthem. Duff floated around stage effortlessly, despite a 18 year long hiatus, Duff hasn’t lost any ability to hold a crowd in the palm of her hand. Followed by ‘So Yesterday’ from her debut album ‘Metamorphosis’, an edgier uplifting track about moving on and letting go.
Vocally, Duff is unfaltering. Every belt and run were flawless and controlled. ‘Fly’ being a personal highlight in that department. Duff moved seamlessly between her upper and lower ranges that the song demands.
Duff performed a handful of her recent releases from her 2026 album ‘luck… or something’. Woven throughout the set, the more mature tracks like ‘Holiday Party’ and ‘Roommates’ had the crowd transfixed. Snarky track ‘Mature’ explores the power dynamics between older men and younger men, whether she’s referring to a relationship or potentially Hollywood higher ups and young talent. She looks / Like she could be your daughter / Like me before I got smarter //. Either way, the track takes a jab at the older man in power.
After a shortened version of ‘With Love’, Duff picked fans from the crowd to join her on stage to perform the viral Good Morning America dance. Just one of many fan interactions throughout the night. During ‘Getaway’, Duff hands the mic to a fan to perform the spoken word element, and in the final third, Duff requests advice on the perfect way to make vegemite toast as she tries it for the first time on stage. These small moments genuinely felt natural for Duff to include, creating special and unique moments for her fans that night.
During costume changes, screens flashed with montages of different stages of Duff's life. The most impactful being filled with baby photos, behind the scenes of her film and tv work and her journey through music.
Closing out the show, Duff performed ‘What Dreams Are Made Of’ from the iconic final scene of The Lizzie Mcguire Movie. The crowd roared as they danced and sang. Confetti and balloons rained down and there was an overwhelming sense of joy. An evening filled with sentimentality and music that has stood the test of time. Hilary Duff’s illustrious career has spanned over 30 years, and with this new found hunger to perform, there’s no doubt it could last another 30.