 Arguably the only teen pop star with the potential to rival or surpass the
popularity of
Britney Spears -- albeit with a very different approach --
Hilary Duff made a name for herself on the enormously successful Disney
Channel/ABC Kids show Lizzie McGuire, which she parlayed into careers as a pop
singer and film actress. Like most overnight successes,
Hilary Duff paid her dues for a few years before her big break. Appearances in the
1997 women's Western True Women, 1998's Casper (as the Friendly Ghost's human
friend Wendy), and 1999's The Soul Collector paved the way for her best-known
role. Lizzie McGuire, which chronicled the ups and downs of junior high schooler
Lizzie's life with live-action and animated clips, debuted in 2001 and very
quickly became a huge hit with the preteen set. Aside from the show's unique
format, one of the main reasons for its success was
Hilary Duff herself. As Lizzie, she was pretty, funny, and smart, but not
intimidatingly so; she had two best friends, Gordo and Miranda, so she wasn't
super-popular or an outcast; and she was confident enough to do her own thing,
but still vulnerable enough to have crushes on unattainable boys.
At the same time Lizzie was taking off,
Hilary Duff also appeared in the indie film Human Nature, reflecting her continuing
big-screen aspirations. Lizzie McGuire mania continued through 2002, and
Hilary Duff began her first steps toward her singing career with the song "Santa
Claus Lane," which appeared on the soundtrack to The Santa Clause 2, as well as
her own Christmas album, also named Santa Claus Lane. That year, production
ended on Lizzie McGuire, freeing up
Hilary Duff to pursue other opportunities. Episodes of the show continued to run
into 2003, but by that time
Hilary Duff had begun to move on, appearing in the teen spy movie Agent Cody Banks
and playing Lizzie one last time in The Lizzie McGuire Movie, where funnily
enough, she goes to Italy and is mistaken for a teen pop star. The soundtrack to
the movie also featured several songs by
Hilary Duff, including the singles "Why Not" and "I Can't Wait," which were both
successes in their own right; the soundtrack went platinum in summer 2003.
Around that time, Metamorphosis,
Hilary Duff's bona fide debut as a singer, was released. The album had a hipper and
more eclectic sound than any of the material she had been given previously, and
helped establish her as a personality outside of her Lizzie McGuire fame. The
album charted number two on the Billboard 200 on the week of its release, and
its single "So Yesterday" topped the pop singles chart earlier that summer.
Hilary Duff's omnipresence in 2003 continued with appearances at that year's MTV
Video Music Awards and the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards, where she accepted
Lizzie McGuire's trophy for Favorite TV Show. She also appeared in that year's
film Cheaper by the Dozen and embarked on a tour that fall.
2004 was just as busy for
Hilary Duff. She appeared in movies like A Cinderella Story, Agent Cody Banks, and
Raise Your Voice, and also released her self-titled second album, which
exchanged the neutral fluffiness of Metamorphosis for an anthemic rock-pop style
consistent with efforts from
Ashlee Simpson and
Avril Lavigne. The record continued to shape
Hilary Duff's public persona, which was a continually evolving dynamo of branding,
image, and teenage ambition. Released on September 28th (her 17th birthday),
Hilary Duff eventually peaked at number two on both the Billboard 200 and the
Top Internet Albums charts, and helped
Hilary Duff net "Most Searched by Kids and Teens on AOL" honors and more
Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards. Publicity for the album continued into 2005.
That June, The Perfect Man debuted; in a bit of genius casting, it featured
Heather Locklear as
Hilary Duffs unlucky-in-love mother.
In July,
Hilary Duff started preparing for the August release of Most Wanted. The collection
included three new songs -- including the single "Wake Up," written by
Benji and
Joel Madden from
Good Charlotte -- as well as remixed versions of past
Hilary Duff hits like "So Yesterday" and "Come Clean." There was also the Most
Wanted tour, which stretched into September, ending just in time for her 18th
birthday. By this point, the
Hilary Duff promotion machine was in overdrive: her website offered a
pay-as-you-go mobile phone branded with her name and bundled with
Hilary Duff-themed ringtones and wallpapers. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
Contact Grabow for more information or to book
Hilary Duff for your next corporate or private event.
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