Hilary Duff Opens Madison Square Garden with a Surprise-Filled Lucky Me Show

Hilary Duff kicked off the first of two back-to-back Lucky Me Tour dates at Madison Square Garden, delivering a set that blended 2000s hits (“Why Not,” “Come Clean”) with new tracks from her sixth album *Luck… or Something*. Mid-show, she invited drag performers Crystal Envy, Luxx Noir London and Aquaria to join her “With Love” dance break, and later brought out ex-boyfriend Joel Madden and his brother Benji Madden of Good Charlotte for a joint rendition of the band’s 2002 anthem “The Anthem.”

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The Lucky Me World Tour launched on June 22 in West Palm Beach, Florida, and is scheduled to conclude on February 12, 2027 in Mexico City. The Madison Square Garden engagement marks Duff’s first headline shows at the iconic arena, a venue she referenced as a “dream” she never imagined achieving.

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Good Charlotte’s surprise appearance fulfilled a long-standing fan wish; Duff had teased the moment earlier by wearing a white Good Charlotte T-shirt. The Madden brothers embraced Duff onstage before delivering the high-energy duet. In addition, the drag trio added a flamboyant interlude, underscoring Duff’s shout-out to her LGBTQ+ community. A backstage photo later showed Duff with husband Matthew Koma, the Madden brothers, and Joel Madden’s wife Nicole Richie.

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Duff told the crowd that her daughter Mae, five, had spent the morning in the emergency room receiving stitches, but was “fine” and present for the performance. She added, “My kids are here tonight, I can’t believe I get to show them this,” emphasizing the personal significance of the night.

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• “My kids are here tonight, I can't believe I get to show them this,” — Hide Caption Hilary Duff

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• “FAMILY NIGHT @ MSG CONGRATS @hilaryduff,” — Instagram Joel

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