Hilary Duff addressed Northeastern University's class of 2026 at Fenway Park in Boston on April 29. The singer and actress shared lessons from her career, urging graduates to prioritize their own voices over opportunities. She emphasized the power of saying no and taking pauses to rebuild.
On April 29, Hilary Duff spoke to Northeastern University's graduating class of 2026 at Fenway Park in Boston. She opened by joking that she envied the graduates, noting her formal education ended around third grade due to her early career as a child actor and teen superstar. Duff drew from her experiences in entertainment to offer wisdom on career choices and personal growth. The performer reflected on learning that good opportunities or paychecks are not always right. “Just because something is a good opportunity or a good paycheck doesn’t mean it’s right,” she told the crowd. She explained how accepting offers led her to lose her voice, prompting a shift from reacting to pursuing what she truly wanted. Duff described taking a break from music after her 2007 album Dignity reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200. She focused on acting, production, her New York Times bestselling Elixir trilogy, family, and business. This pause allowed her to return authentically with Breathe In. Breathe Out. in 2015, which hit No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and featured the Hot 100 single “Sparks” at No. 93. “Saying ‘no’ wasn’t rejection, it was redirection,” she said, adding that graduates should choose where their energy goes and pause to appreciate progress. The speech drew thunderous applause from the stadium crowd. It caps a strong year for Duff, including her Small Rooms, Big Nevers Tour and the No. 3 Billboard 200 album Luck… Or Something Like It, co-written with husband Matthew Koma. She is set to launch the Lucky Me Tour on June 21-22 at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida, with dates across North America, Australia, the U.K., and Mexico City in 2027.