Whatever Happened To Hilary Duff's Music Career? The Real Reason She Put It On Hold

After releasing "Breathe In. Breathe Out." in 2015, Hilary Duff was barely heard from anymore. She was clearly missed. So, when she announced her return to music in September 2025, her fans showed they were more than ready, as evidenced by the 400% increase in searches on Spotify. She seemed to have it all, yet she stepped away from music and the spotlight more broadly. That's because Duff was focused on motherhood. It wasn't entirely a conscious decision, though.

The "Lizzie McGuire" alum missed her music career but she struggled with finding a middle ground between being a mother and an artist. "I never wanna blame my kids for this, but I'm so immersed in motherhood right now ... I have to just figure out a way for those two things to meet," she told Access Hollywood. Duff had been hinting at a return to music since 2022, illustrating her longstanding desire to get back in the studio. Duff's challenges show that not even access and money can solve the issues of balancing motherhood and career.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic opened up opportunities for parents, and mothers, more specifically, to embrace both, Dr. Kim Van Dusen, parenting expert and licensed child therapist of The Parentologist, told Nicki Swift. "We are fortunate that we live in a society that has been more flexible with parents in the workplace," she said. While challenges remain, Van Dusen argues that willing parents often find creative ways to integrate their careers into their daily lives. Duff might finally be getting there.. 

Parents who want to keep their professional side alive have to look for solutions where they can. Sometimes that looks like carving out working hours around the kids' schedule. Other times it means finding a boss who is understanding and flexible. "I would urge parents to think outside the box and get out of their comfort zone and find a job that will support their parenting role as well as their professional role," Dr. Kim Van Dusen told Nicki Swift.

That doesn't mean it's easy. In Hilary Duff's case, she spent years trying to figure it out. In fact, she never meant to put her music career on hold for a decade. But music proved harder than acting because of the touring aspect. "Going on tour and doing that, you know, I have a child and I love like doing pick ups and drop offs at school," she told E! News in 2016 when her eldest child, son Luca, was about to turn 4. Duff welcomed her fourth child in May 2024, a little over a year before she announced her return to music.

Even though she still has young children at home, she seemingly found ways to make it work now that she's more experienced. As Van Dusen pointed out, the motherhood journey isn't a straight line. "Parenting seasons change," she said. One career goal might not work today, but it might next year. "You aren't choosing one over the other and you aren't losing one lifestyle over another, there will be a time and place for both," she said.