Once a Disney princess as the star of Lizzie McGuire, Hilary Duff was one of the biggest tween stars of our generation. She was always first and foremost an actress who forayed into the music scene, and her discography has always remained one of the most enduring relics of the simpler days. 'Come Clean' and 'So Yesterday' are hallmarks of childhood, but after her last album Dignity she basically fell of the face of the earth.

Speed up eight years into the future, and Hilary is back as if she never left. She is once again balancing an acting career with her music career, but she's also a mother. Her TV show Younger is a cute yet raunchy venture and her latest album Breathe In. Breathe Out. puts her back in her prime where she belongs. She's grown up and so has her music.
In 2013 she told us she was taking an EDM route, but then last year when she dropped the short-lived 'Chasing the Sun' she had suddenly got inspired by The Lumineers and proclaimed she was headed down the folk route to the dismay of fans everywhere. 'All About You' seemed to be turning things around, but thankfully Hilary decided to take her time and re-envision her concept for the album.

This year, 'Sparks' arrived and our prayers were answered. The Tove Lo/Bloodshy co-written/co-produced single put the glitzy electro-pop sound back in our ears and assured us that Hilary was on the right track. Despite the atrocious Tinder promo video, the song is a huge hit, and as the opening track it preps the listener for a sonic journey.

Following the magic is 'My Kind', the wink wink nod to one night stands. Hilary's once again a single woman, and it looks like she's on the prowl in this synth ode to a quickie. It's not one of my personal favorites but it's a solid cut.
But it's the next paring of tracks where the album hits its stride. 'One In a Million' comes barreling in like a freight train that pounds the senses. Once again Tove Lo is at the helm, and this ready-made smash declares that Hilary's one in a million and her man should have locked it down when he could. This is followed by the equally bombastic and even catchier 'Confetti.' We all know Hilary has a limited vocal range, but that doesn't stop her from cooing the most seductive chorus, "If I fall, you better catch me / You're turning me into confetti!"

The title track, produced by Matthew Koma, is one of the album's most striking moments. Playing like a cut from Taylor Swift's 1989, 'Breathe In. Breathe Out.' is an electro break-up romper that delivers the album's most iconic line: "I made a Top 10 list of all the things I miss / Your lying eyes and lips? They didn’t make it." Where did this Hilary come from?
The album then segues into the heartbreak phase where Hilary airs her grievances. 'Arms Around a Memory' is perhaps the greatest out of these, with Matthew Koma once again at the helm of this hauntingly powerful electro ballad. 'Lies' with its repeat-heavy chorus and bouncing beat recalls the teeny bopper inside her, mimicking what stars like Becky G or Selena Gomez have been releasing as of late.

'Stay In Love' begins the transition into the more folk rock side that Hilary just couldn't seem to part with. The track is an angst-filled soft rock track that is eerily reminiscent of her early work. Jerrod Bettis of OneRepublic assists 'Brave Heart', a cutesy radio friendly tune that's neither spectacular nor horrid.
Summer hit written all over it with that signature whistle, 'Picture This' sees Hilary stretching her vocals beyond their limits and it works surprisingly well. One of the highlights of the album is the Ed Sheeran co-penned 'Tattoo'. It reads like your typical Ed tune which works almost perfectly with Hilary's sweet and cooing vocals.

The album wraps up with 'Night Like This' which features Big Time Rush's Kendall Schmidt. There's a note of hope as it plays out like a cheesy romcom. It's an uplifting end to the raucous journey the album (and her life) has taken us on.

It's been a long eight years without Hilary, but the wait was worth it. She is renewed and brought back an updated version of her signature sound which is already pleasing fans around the world as her album has already hit #1 on iTunes. Hilary's back and we should all savor this moment before she leaves us once again.