Hilary Duff's New Single "Chasing the Sun" Debuts Online

By Christopher Rosa 

It's here, ladies and gents: Hilary Duff's highly-anticipated single "Chasing the Sun" hit the interwebs today, one day ahead of schedule (hey, it's 2014). "Chasing the Sun" is the first single off Duff's upcoming studio album — her first in seven years — and it certainly does not disappoint.

The song ushers in a new Hilary Duff. She's not a tween queen anymore — quite the opposite actually, she's spends her days now looking after 2-year-old son Luca — and her music  reflects the changes in her life.

Penned by Colbie Caillat, Jason Reeves, and Toby Gad, "Chasing the Sun" swaps the bubblegum kitsch of Metamorphosis (2003) and nightclub naughtiness of 2007's Dignity for a softer acoustic sound. It's a sweet and breezy listen; Duff's twinkly vocals glaze effortlessly over the mid-tempo guitar beat. But the track still honors Duff's knack for summery pop froth: The swooping Sheryl Crow-esque chorus will sound fresh on Top 40 radio. While "Chasing the Sun" is not a home run —  frankly, we prefer her Dignity sound  — it's a nice return for Duff. "I realize that more means less," she croons in the second verse, and "Chasing the Sun" honors this sentiment to a "T." Noisy dance-pop is so yesterday, after all.

Duff premiered a remix version of "Chasing the Sun" last Thursday at the Marquee nightclub in New York City. Perez Hilton introduced Duff and the two chatted briefly about her decision to return to music. "I've been in the studio since September and it's been amazing," Duff told Hilton. "I really felt like it was time for me [to make new music]. I had so much to say, I've been through so much — good and bad. I sound different and I feel different and I think it was time to share who I am now."

The music video for "Chasing the Sun" will reportedly drop tomorrow on VEVO. Listen to Duff's new track and let us know what you think in the comments below.

[Photo Credit: RCA]