Hilary Duff made a triumphant return to the stage in London this week, launching her highly-anticipated comeback tour and seemingly leaving recent celebrity 'mom group' drama behind her. The former Disney Channel star performed to a sold-out crowd at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire on Monday, marking her first major tour in 18 years.
A Triumphant London Premiere
The 38-year-old singer and actress commanded the stage in a striking caped nude bodysuit, adorned with two oversized blue roses, and paired with white go-go boots. The outfit, curated by stylist Caroline DeJean, became iconic by the night's end as Duff used it to perform 'What Dreams Are Made Of' live for the very first time. The track is the beloved 2003 theme song from The Lizzie McGuire Movie and served as the emotional finale to her 17-song setlist.
Prior to the show, Duff teased fans on TikTok, hinting at a nostalgic setlist. "I think people are actually going to be surprised how many old songs I'm doing, and it's going to really excite them," said the star, who boasts over 46 million social media followers. She expressed a clear philosophy for the tour: "I feel so bored if I go to a show and I don't know the songs and people don't play what the f***ing people want."
Behind the Scenes: Nerves, Family, and Support
Despite her excitement, Duff admitted to battling nerves, compounded by family responsibilities. She 'barely slept last night' due to anxiety and caring for two of her four children, who had caught the flu before the family arrived in London last Friday. The mother-of-four found a strange comfort in the chaos, however, noting: "It's like all these things in my life happening, but those things are actually maybe like helping because they're really normal and I can grasp on to them. And this other part is not so normal."
She was dutifully supported by her second husband, producer Matthew Koma. Koma proudly shared footage from the sound booth on his Instagram Stories, declaring, "That's how it's done wifey!" He served as the primary producer on Duff's upcoming sixth studio album, Luck... or Something, which is set for release on February 20.
The Setlist and What's Next
Duff's set was a mix of new material and classic hits, satisfying long-time fans. The full London concert setlist included:
- Wake Up
- So Yesterday
- Roommates
- Weather for Tennis
- Metamorphosis
- Fly
- My Kind
- Sparks
- Future Trippin'
- With Love
- Beat of My Heart
- Someone's Watching Over Me
- We Don't Talk
- Why Not
- Come Clean
- Mature
- What Dreams Are Made Of
The 'Small Rooms, Big Nerves' tour is a 10-date run. Duff is next scheduled to perform at the History venue in Toronto this Saturday. The tour will conclude with six final dates at Voltaire inside The Venetian Las Vegas.
The London show arrived amidst unrelated gossip concerning Duff's former co-star, Ashley Tisdale. Tisdale recently penned an essay about feeling alienated by unnamed mothers, later unfollowing Duff and Mandy Moore on Instagram before deactivating her account. Koma had previously criticised Tisdale's comments as 'self obsessed' and 'tone deaf'. Duff has not publicly addressed the situation, appearing focused solely on her musical return.
