Hilary Duff’s "Roommates" is the Grown-Up, Messy, Taylor-Esque Anthem We Didn’t Know We Needed

Let’s get one thing straight: Lizzie McGuire grew up. And apparently, she’s been listening to a lot of Midnights.

Hilary Duff dropped her new single "Roommates" this morning, and it is a lot of things at once. It’s a banger. It’s surprisingly explicit (we’ll get to that "dive bar" line in a second). But mostly, it’s a fascinating sonic pivot that has the internet asking one question: Is this the best Taylor Swift song that Taylor Swift never wrote?

"Life is Life-ing, Babe"

If you haven't hit play yet, prepare yourself. "Roommates," co-written with her husband Matthew Koma, is a synth-heavy, mid-tempo track that trades Disney Channel innocence for the brutal honesty of a long-term relationship.

The lyrics are where things get spicy. Duff isn't singing about high school crushes anymore. She’s singing about the mundane tragedy of a marriage losing its spark. She admits to "touching myself looking at porn" because her partner won't look her way, and reminisces about "giving you head in the back of a dive bar." It’s raw, it’s uncomfortable, and it’s arguably the most authentic thing she’s released in a decade.

In a press statement that feels destined to be a meme, Duff explained the vibe perfectly: "‘Roommates’ is a song about when life is life-ing, babe. It’s that ache for a wilder, freer time — before the days were swallowed by carpools and budget talks."

The Taylor Swift Comparison

You can’t talk about this track without addressing the elephant in the room. The production—heavy on reverb, "talk-singing" verses, and a breathy chorus—is pure Jack Antonoff-core. Fans on Reddit are already calling it "The most Taylor song that's not Taylor I've ever heard," pointing out similarities to tracks like "Anti-Hero" and "Bejeweled."

But let's be fair: Duff was doing this pop thing long before Taylor picked up a guitar. In a way, it feels like a full-circle moment. Taylor was influenced by Hilary; now Hilary is borrowing a page from Taylor’s playbook. And honestly? It works.

Let the Rain Fall Down (Again)

The music video is a masterclass in nostalgia bait. Directed by Matty Peacock, it features a scene where it starts raining inside Duff’s living room. If that triggers a core memory for you, it should. It’s a direct visual callback to her 2003 hit "Come Clean."

"Listen, we love a nugget," Duff told Entertainment Tonight. "It’s hard to not find the threads... it’s nice to have another rain moment."

The "Momgate" Context

Of course, this release isn't happening in a vacuum. It comes right in the middle of the viral "Toxic Mom Group" drama involving Ashley Tisdale (who allegedly unfollowed Duff). While Tisdale is writing essays about feeling excluded, Duff is busy selling out her Las Vegas residency and dropping NSFW bangers.

It seems the "Toxic Mom" drama might just be the best PR campaign of 2026. Hilary Duff isn't just back; she’s winning.