Hilary Duff is speaking candidly about the painful family struggles that helped shape her newest music. The actress and singer recently revealed that her relationship with both her parents and sister Haylie Duff has been strained in recent years, describing the situation as "devastating."
During an appearance on the "On Purpose with Jay Shetty" podcast, Duff explained that the deeply personal lyrics on her new album Luck... or Something reflect her complicated family history. One song in particular, "The Optimist," explores the emotional toll of growing up in a family affected by separation.
"I think being very vulnerable and open about what it's like to be in a family that your parents aren't together and you don't have relationships with both of your parents-it's devastating," Duff said on the podcast. "It doesn't matter what age you are, you want your parents to feel like they care about you."
Duff's parents, Robert and Susan Duff, divorced in 2008 after more than two decades of marriage. The former Lizzie McGuire star said the breakup was especially difficult because it happened when she was already a young adult trying to process the situation.
She also admitted that she does not have a close relationship with her father today. "My dad and I don't really have much of a relationship and we don't speak very often," Duff shared, adding that it can be difficult to rebuild connections when a family separation becomes deeply complicated.
The singer also hinted at tension with her sister Haylie Duff, which inspired another song on the album titled "We Don't Talk." According to Duff, she has discovered that fractured sibling relationships are more common than many people realize.
"In my adulthood, I've come across more and more people that are having this experience," she said. "As painful as it feels to share, when I decided to make this record, I could only talk about the things that I've gone through."
Today, Duff is focused on raising her four children and building a new chapter with her husband, musician Matthew Koma. Even amid personal struggles, the singer has said that honesty and reflection-values often emphasized in faith and personal growth-have played an important role in helping her navigate life's challenges.
Related Article: Hilary Duff Says Sister Haylie Is "Not in My Life" as New Song "We Don't Talk" Reveals Painful Rift
