Hilary Duff teases future world tour during sold out concert in Los Angeles
The mezzanine was rattling so hard it felt like an earthquake. Loud noise alerts were sounding on nearby Apple Watches. As pink butterfly confetti fell from the sky while the audience danced and sang every lyric to her 2000s hits, it became clear: Hilary Duff knows exactly what her fans came to see.
An audience filled with (mostly) millennials ready to “heal their inner child” packed the sold-out Wiltern theatre show on Thursday, Jan. 29, as Duff finished up her short but sweet “Small Rooms, Big Nerves Tour” in Los Angeles. The stop was one of only four dates, beginning in London, making its way across the pond to Canada and New York, and returning home to the West Coast. The limited shows combined with smaller venues made the coveted tickets arguably harder for fans to get their hands on.
It was Duff’s first tour in 18 years, the last being the “Dignity Tour” from 2007-2008, where she stopped at Gibson Amphitheatre, which also goes to show how much time has passed. (The venue has since been demolished and replaced by the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood.) After that, Duff took a break from touring, instead focusing on her acting career with projects like TV Land’s “Younger” and Hulu’s “How I Met Your Father.”
Luckily for her fans, this limited run won’t be the last time they see her on stage.
About halfway through the show, Duff stopped her performance of “With Love” to bring fans onstage to recreate her iconic 2007 dance from “The Today Show” concert series. Fans pleaded online for Duff to include the dance in the tour, and she delivered. But the crowd got a little extra treat at the end of the number. After bringing three fans onstage, she asked them to stay for a moment longer. She handed each of them a shirt, and, on cue, they turned to the crowd to announce, “World Tour Loading…” The Wiltern Theatre erupted in cheers as they celebrated the good news before locking back in to dance the night away to another throwback song of Duff’s, “Beat of My Heart.”
@carolyn.burt Hilary Duff announces a world tour is coming during her final performance of her Small Rooms, Big Nerves tour at the Wiltern in Los Angeles. #hilarusuff #smallroomsbigtour #hilarydufftour #whatdreamsaremadeof #lizziemcguire
The setlist for the evening was ideal for fans who have been following her career for the past two decades, featuring hits like “So Yesterday” from her debut album “Metamorphosis” to iconic singles like “Sparks” from her 2015 album “Breathe In. Breathe Out.” which she worked on with her now husband, Matthew Koma, frontman of Winnetka Bowling League.
Additionally, the night also included songs from her upcoming album, “Luck… or something.” Besides her two newest singles, “Mature” and “Roommates,” Duff also played some of the other tracks that haven’t yet been released, such as “We Don’t Talk” and “Future Trippin’” to give attendees an extra taste of her new sound.
Between numbers, Duff took time to speak with the crowd, reflecting on songs from her catalogue and expressing her gratitude. “It’s been — I keep repeating myself over and over again — but it’s a trip. I can’t believe I’m here, 18 years later,” said Duff. “There’s just been an overarching happiness and sunshine that you all have brought to these shows. It’s like the cleanest, purest form of a celebration.”
But by far, the most anticipated moment of the night was the one fans who were decked in their lavender Lizzie McGuire ensembles, accompanied by their friends in neon green Isabela Parigi costumes, had been waiting the majority of their lives for — Duff’s encore performance of “What Dreams Are Made Of.”
The song became the anthem of “The Lizzie McGuire Movie,” a landmark film in the millennial pop culture zeitgeist, as it was the first Disney Channel original series to receive a theatrical release. Duff returned to the stage no longer in the bedazzled denim ensemble she wore earlier in the night, but instead a pink boa dress that loosely resembled one of the “cartoon Lizzie” ensembles from the show that helped turn her into a household name.
The nostalgia of the song, combined with the butterfly confetti being shot into the crowd (a nod to her freshman album “Metamorphosis”) was the ultimate sing-along moment for everyone in attendance.
Rather than exit the stage immediately after the performance was over, Duff took a moment to take in what had just happened. After 18 years, not only was she back on stage, living her pop-star dreams once again, but she was surrounded by fans who continue to stand by her side. After falling to her knees in gratitude, she addressed the crowd one last time to express her appreciation. “Thank you, LA, for this gift,” said Duff. “I love you, and I can’t wait to see you soon.”
While it’s apparent that Duff could have easily filled larger venues in the area or added more show dates, for this run, the choice to start small feels intentional. Duff has by no means shied from the spotlight, but it makes sense that she’d want to ease back into performing on stage. It’s a chance for her to check the temperature of her fan base and regain her muscle memory behind the mic and reintroduce herself to the world as a pop star.
The shows were also an opportunity for a major milestone in her career to take place, her kids seeing her perform live for the first time, with her son in attendance at the Wiltern and her daughters seeing her show in Toronto.
While the “Small Rooms, Big Nerves Tour” has concluded, fans will still have a few more opportunities to catch Duff live in concert before her World Tour begins. Duff will be performing a limited residency in Las Vegas at the Voltaire, but be warned, it’s already sold out. The first few dates, February 13-15, will happen ahead of the release of her sixth studio album “Luck… or something.” Those who catch the second run of the residency, May 22-25, will be able to enjoy her new music after getting a chance to take in the new album in its entirety.
As for when the world tour will begin, the countdown is on, literally. As fans left the Wiltern on Thursday, QR codes were handed out with the words “more to come.” The QR code took fans back to Duff’s site, where a timer is counting down the days, hours and minutes until Thursday, February 12, 2026.
@livenation We hope you enjoyed it…(because we’re not done yet). Countdown is on @hilaryduff @Hilary Duff HQ #HilaryDuff