What is “We Don’t Talk” by Hilary Duff about? We analyze the lyrics, her CBS interview, and the real reasons behind the Hilary and Haylie Duff estrangement.
Hilary Duff’s new album, luck… or something, released on February 20, 2026, has arrived like a bolt from the blue. Fans immediately noted the profound emotional weight of the lyrics, which tackle some of the most sensitive chapters of the singer’s life.
We previously discussed ‘Roommates,’ Hilary’s single on the evolution of long-term relationships; it was already clear that this record had no intention of holding back from touching our rawest nerves and the anxieties of everyday life. The singer addresses themes that resonate with everyone, focusing on the human side of her existence—the side most of her fans can feel deeply in their own lives.
The album offers several insights into her personality as a 38-year-old woman, a wife, a mother, and a daughter. Family dynamics take center stage: the lyrics delve into her parents’ divorce and the complex relationship with her father. And then there is ‘We Don’t Talk,’ undoubtedly the most analyzed song by fans since the album’s release.
The lyrics of ‘We Don’t Talk’ are painful, and Hilary Duff has confirmed that the song refers to her troubled relationship with her sister, Haylie: the two sisters have been estranged for several years, and judging by Hilary’s words, the ‘why’ isn’t entirely clear even to her.
Naturally, fans have countless questions. In this article, we will dive deep into ‘We Don’t Talk’, analyse the meaning of the lyrics, and explore the theories regarding why Haylie and Hilary Duff are estranged. Let’s break down the lyrics to uncover the truth.
In Search of the Why: The Lyrics of ‘We Don’t Talk’ and Hilary Duff’s Doubts
In ‘We Don’t Talk,’ Hilary Duff exposes one of the most vulnerable and painful chapters of her life: the lyrics make it clear that the absence of her sister, Haylie, is a profound wound. She presents the situation through a lens of fundamental confusion: Hilary seemingly does not know the exact reasons why her sister chose such a definitive estrangement.
I’m not sure when it happened
Not even sure what it was about
If I did something different
Would you feel something different?
Would you at least let me hear you out?
Judging by Hilary’s words, blood ties are vital to her identity. This is already evident in the heavy presence her parents’ relationship occupies on the new record. luck… or something is decidedly the album that speaks to her as a complete person, moving beyond her role as a mother to explore every facet of her being. In ‘We Don’t Talk,’ the fractured bond with her sister is presented as a heavy, unresolved burden:
We come from the same home, the same blood
A different combination, but the same lock
People ask me how you’re doing, I wanna say, “Amazing”
But the truth is that I don’t know
What I always end up sayin’ isHow we don’t talk, we don’t talk, talk about it
We don’t talk about anything anymore
When a sibling severs a relationship, it becomes necessary to look past the individual triggers and ask the deeper question: why would someone so close choose total silence? This is why Hilary avoids citing specific arguments. Instead, the song poses a much deeper question: did Hilary’s massive commercial success play a role in the resentment Haylie feels today? This is the burden of the ‘bigger half’: a classic instance of success guilt, where Hilary feels the crushing weight of her own good fortune, haunted by the idea that her path to the top may have cost her the people she loves most.
Emotional eviction
No more sentimental overlap
And if it’s ’cause you’re jealous
God knows I would sell it all, then break you off the bigger half
Jealousy is a common, though often unspoken, dynamic in complex sibling relationships. It is easy to imagine how Haylie might have felt overshadowed, identifying as the artist who remained in the background. This can lead to intrusive thoughts about self-worth and whether success is truly “deserved.”
However, when siblings refuse to speak, there is always a complex web of emotions at the root of the feud. To understand more, we must look beyond the lyrics to official interviews, social media clues, and the most compelling fan theories.
Jealousy is a common thread in the complex dynamics of sibling relationships and often a primary driver of estrangement. It is easy to imagine Haylie feeling defined by her sister’s success, cast in the role of the artist who remained in the shadows. This inevitably triggers intrusive thoughts about her own true value as an individual, her life, and the uncomfortable question of just how much each of them truly deserved the life they were given.
However, when siblings refuse to speak, there is always a complex web of emotions at the root of the feud. To understand more, we must look beyond the lyrics to official interviews, social media clues, and the most compelling fan theories.
The CBS Mornings Interview and Recent Years: Why are Hilary and Haylie Duff Estranged?
The release of the album luck… or something was accompanied by an extensive interview with CBS Mornings on February 20, 2026, in which Hilary Duff manages to cover a large part of the album’s contents. You can find the extended interview, 47 minutes long, while below is the shortened version with the most important moments.
The discussion regarding the lyrics of ‘We Don’t Talk‘ and her relationship with her older sister, Haylie, arrives at the 6:00 mark. Hilary confirms that the song is indeed about her sister, stating candidly: ‘The most lonely part of my existence is not having my sister in my life at the moment.’
When asked why she chose to include such a delicate theme on the record, Hilary revealed two crucial motivations. First, she expressed a desire to speak ‘her truth,’ suggesting an underlying hope for a response from her sister—any signal that might ignite a potential reconciliation. There is no accusation or resentment in Hilary’s voice; ‘We Don’t Talk‘ is more of a cry for help: a plea to finally sit down and talk it out.
The second reason lies in her desire for relatability. Through interacting with her fanbase, it became clear to Hilary that complicated family dynamics are a universal struggle. In this way, Hilary strives to write music that authentically touches the nuances of life, offering her fans her most human and vulnerable side—the one she shares with the rest of the world.
The timeline of their estrangement is telling. Hilary and Haylie have not been photographed together publicly since 2019. Although Haylie was reportedly involved in planning Hilary’s 2019 wedding to Matthew Koma, she was conspicuously absent on the actual day. Some insiders claim a long-standing friction exists between Hilary’s husband and Haylie’s fiancé, Matthew Rosenberg.
Fans also noted a subtle but significant move by Haylie following Ashley Tisdale’s viral essay for The Cut on January 1, 2026, titled ‘Breaking Up With My Toxic Mom Group.’ While the essay did not explicitly name Hilary, it was common knowledge that Ashley belonged to a ‘celebrity mom squad’ that included Duff. When the fallout became a public drama, Haylie ‘liked’ Tisdale’s Instagram post, signaling her support for Ashley against her own sister.
Judging by these developments, Haylie’s resentment appears deep-seated, rooted in reasons significant enough to extinguish any will to communicate. Hilary has been effectively locked out of Haylie’s life, left without a way to defend herself or share her perspective. It remains to be seen whether Haylie will offer a response—public or private—to the olive branch extended in ‘We Don’t Talk,’ or if the song will remain a message sent into the void.
