Hilary Duff releases new album in almost eight years
In between single motherhood and a music comeback, US singer Hilary Duff relaxes with cooking and a glass of wine
For someone who featured dating app Tinder so prominently in the music video for her pop ditty Sparks, it's no surprise Hilary Duff has embraced a new app called Dubsmash.
"It's an app that has audio clips of famous lines from movies or parts of songs. Anything you can imagine you can type it in... and then you record yourself mouthing it. I did a Minion one with my friend. That was hilarious and oh, it's on my Instagram," she told M.
Stylishly dressed in a black Stella McCartney one-shoulder pantsuit, the 27-year-old US singer-actress still comes across as the sweet girl next door who made it big with hit teen sitcom Lizzie McGuire when she was only 13.
ALBUM
Duff, who spoke to M at the Four Seasons hotel in Beverly Hills, just released Breathe In. Breathe Out. - her first studio album in over eight years.
She also stars in new TV dramedy Younger alongside Broadway star Sutton Foster. They play colleagues in a publishing company.
Duff's son, three-year-old Luca, is one of the reasons she took time off. She's now a single mother, having divorced National Hockey League player husband Mike Comrie earlier this year after almost five years of marriage.
She said: "To me, that record (Breathe In. Breathe Out.) was terrifying just because the industry has changed so much. I hadn't been in a studio for forever. After taking a break from something for eight years, it takes a while to totally find your direction.
"But I'm so proud to have made this record and finally be able to give it to my fans, who have followed me for such a long time.
"I did an autograph signing in New York and there were like 10,000 people who showed up for me. All of them were like, 'You were my first concert and this is like the best CD you've ever made, and you mean so much to me'.
"It's nice to know I've made an impact on their lives and they're still there supporting me."
Performing live is not something she has lined up for the near future, but she wants to assure her fans that she is thinking of it.
"It's a little tricky. (Luca) is in pre-school now, and part of me loves just getting him ready for school in the morning, packing lunch and dropping him off, and socialising with the other mums.
"But I know there's a deeper side of me that craves a little bit more, so it's finding that balance."
Despite having her hands full, she manages to find time to relax.
"I exercise a lot, not to have a perfect body but because I feel great when I'm doing it. I love wine," she said with a laugh.
"I love to take my child places. Usually we go on little weekend trips, just the two of us.
"What else do I do? Hang out with my girlfriends, go to movies, I love bowling. I shop."
Duff is exploring her culinary skills too.
"I started cooking and I really feel relaxed when I'm doing it. We have Sunday night dinner at my mum's house and I have the best picture of my son. He's butt naked and he's helping me wrap bacon-wrapped dates, and he has chocolate frosting all over his face because my mum (let) him lick the spoon."
But even with all these new pursuits, the centre of Duff's life is clearly her son.
"Having him definitely gave me a purpose that I didn't know I needed. I always said that from a young age, I knew I wanted to be a mother. I look at him and I know we were meant for each other.
"Every day counts and it's a lot of pressure. I'm used to a lot of pressure with how I've grown up, but this is a different kind.
"But the laughs, the joy and the sunshine - that's all just really special and makes everything so much more important and scary."
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