Hilary Duff’s Son Reassured Her Before Her Return to Touring

At a private performance for friends and family in Los Angeles in early January, Duff’s hand shook as she held the microphone. She had not performed onstage for nearly 20 years. Her son, then the same age Duff was when her career took off, told her: “Hey, I’m really proud of you. That had to feel really scary after such a long time.”

Duff said the words reached a part of her she rarely showed. The music industry, she explained, had made her feel she had to handle difficult things without letting them show. Returning to the stage also meant rediscovering her identity and facing “quite a few scars from the past.”

The prospect of a world tour raised a separate question for Duff and her husband, Matthew Koma: how would it affect their family? In a November 2026 Billboard cover story, Duff said they had a serious conversation about what touring would mean. She cried “a bunch” at the thought of being away from her children, but also described music as “part of my soul and the only thing I’ve really known since being a child.” The couple decided she would pursue the opportunity.

During her Lucky Me Tour, Koma and all four children joined Duff on the road. She called it “a really fun summer” but joked, “I never want to do it again.” Nannies helped, though Duff said, “Kids want their mom.” She had also spent hours with her assistant arranging for the children to join selected stretches and return home when needed. The tour offered family time and new experiences, but underscored the work involved in balancing touring with motherhood.