In Retrospect : "Sparks" by Hilary Duff (Tove Lo, Floppage, Choreo, Tinder Debacle, and More)

[I Always Sing Live]

Picture this - it's the year 2015, and you're a late 90s / early 00s baby. Out of nowhere, Miss Hilary Duff, the myth, the legend herself, is set to release her comeback single Sparks, penned by the ingenious Swedish pop starlet Tove Lo. In fact, Hilary had already attempted to make her big comeback a year earlier with a pair of singles titled Chasing the Sun and All About You. However, after her brief stint as a watered-down impersonation of Colbie Caillat proved to be unsuccessful, Hilary and her team went back to the drawing board, scrapping her upcoming folk-pop album in the process. And thus, Sparks was born:

Sparks, a glitzy synth-pop gem, was an instant dance-floor classic upon release, featuring glimmering synths and an infectious whistled breakdown that hypnotized its listeners into submission and pure pop bliss. Unfortunately, barring the addictive confection of the track itself, it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows for the ex-Disney icon and her plan for pop domination. The music video was instantly met with backlash by fans and casual viewers alike, and rightfully so. The pastel discotheque of the video was interlaced with clips of Hilary going on various Tinder dates that assaulted its viewers in 10 or so second intervals. Needless to say, something needed to be done, and something she did. A month after the music video's release, Hilary came out with a new one - this time around, a so-called "fan-demanded" version. This would go on to set a precedent for the pop music industry at large, including her contemporaries and successors, such as pop icons Britney Spears and Taylor Swift. Releasing content "by demand" became the norm, and while the critically-acclaimed anthem itself failed to produce any meaningful sparks on the charts, it ushered in a new norm that proved to be beneficial for both artists and fans alike. Industry politics aside, the fan-demanded version of Sparks stripped the video of its capitalist debauchery, putting the original vision of a bubblegum dream set to the tune of synth-driven magic on full display:

World peace had now been achieved, and fans could finally appreciate the blood, sweat, and tears that had been poured into this piece of fine at. Lizzie clearly got the assignment - she had studied the Blueprint of Pop Music (© 1998 Britney Spears) and it showed. While her successors were releasing "their most personal works yet" and pretending to be authentic songwriters by changing two lines in songs written by teams of 30 other people, Hilary was having none of it. She booked performance after performance on daytime show after daytime show, serving choreography and live vocals and showing the younger generation what they'd been missing out on at the hands of their indolent and ungrateful favorites:

And so, after having been given one last chance to redeem themselves and having failed to do so, pop music fans brought it upon themselves, and pop music was never the same again. The end.

Edited November 16, 2021 by Midnight

[I Always Sing Live]

@Midnight, I had too much fun writing this mess, so we're not letting it flop. @Rik, this one's dedicated to you.

[I Always Sing Live]

Repent by streaming the Holy Trinity of Breathe In. Breathe Out.

Spoiler

 

[rik]

Omg you are so cute w this dedication  

reading this was so much fun. I am a late 90s baby and in 2015, when sparks was released I was in my last year of high school. The year was populated by a lot of different artists, most of whom have not managed to remain relevant…. But some of whom were really good (don’t get me started with Ultraviolence in 2014  or Kendrick’s To Pimp a Butterfly in 2015). Hilary coming back was so unexpected, however by the time sparks came out she had already released All About You (which should’ve been released in place of Chasing the Sun, and both ended up being lead singles for a folk pop record she described as “earthy”, which eventually were scrapped, and largely replaced with the dance pop songs.

 

I remember when Sparks came out I was very happy. It was a nice return and it was interesting to see her collab with someone as popular and current at the time as Tov Love (although at the time I didn’t get the big deal cuz I was still on my 2000s ****, but closer to 90s at the time). I also wasnt into pop at this time but because Hilary was one of my favourite singers growing up, I had to 

 

the fan demanded comment is reAl though. I genuinely think while it was such an annoyance to see her tinder profile (which she went on a late night show to explain because before the music video people on Reddit and so forth in LA discussed matching with Hilary on tinder, which at the time wa so new), it was shocking to see her release a “fan demanded” version. 
 

as for the most personal comments and Hilary having none of it, in all fairness the original conception for the record was to be much more personal. I will say at the time of breathe in breathe out when she released the box set edition with Outlaw, she also included a picture of her and the (easily over 30) producers and songwriters involved in the making of breathe in breathe out. I’ll have to look for it now! 

I remember when she was ON THESE MORNINT SHOWS DANCING- I couldn’t. Still, even though she was flat she made quite the effort to sing live during this time. I think what really discouraged her from releasing more music was that it only really had success for a short amount of time. And that too, on iTunes. I think she expected to bring in Most Wanted or Dignity numbers without realizing how difficult it was going to be after spending so much time outside of the industry. When Younger became a hit show, I think she decided to focus fully on acting as her primary return to the mainstream gaze. 
 

I apologize for this essay 

[rik]

I remember how complete I felt when the My Kind song dropped on her VEVO with the all about you/sparks rehearsals I think. I really felt like my life was figured out and then it all quite literally took a turn after that summer of 2015! Very dark. So weird to think I’m even in a post-2015/16 context despite so much happening to me, and the world 

 

around 2016, when glory came out about a year and a bit is when I was starting to become an adult in a way. That record brought me actual happiness for some reason, but so did breathe in breathe out when I needed it in my life

[rik]

 

1. • Yay, but only because I don't wanna upset user @Rik.
      
      2

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•  Show Vote Options
   
• PLEASE SHHDJDJDHDHHDJS

[The JayTawndre Show]

Bop of all bops 

[I Always Sing Live]

2 minutes ago, Rik said:

Omg you are so cute w this dedication  

I apologize for this essay 

I'm no Hilary Duff stan, but I was so invested in the Breathe In. Breathe Out. era, lol. I would watch all those daytime show performances and root for her even though they were kind of a hot mess. But I loved the album so much, so I just felt like I had to. Also, that snarky little part about faux authenticity is just nonsense and fluff. I mean, to be fair, it's accurate, but it has nothing to do with Miss Lizzie. It's cute how invested you are, though. It really shows, and I love that for you.

[rik]

2 minutes ago, JayTawndre said:

Bop of all bops 

Man and suddenly I’m 18 again 

[I Always Sing Live]

4 minutes ago, Rik said:

PLEASE SHHDJDJDHDHHDJS

Taylor Swift tease with them easter eggs. Don't come for her.

[Midnight]

27 minutes ago, I Always Sing Live said:

@Midnight, I had too much fun writing this mess, so we're not letting it flop. @Rik, this one's dedicated to you.

beautiful thread, thank you for posting 

Spoiler

 

[I Always Sing Live]

1 minute ago, Midnight said:

beautiful thread, thank you for posting 

You know what they say - never trust a Beyoncé fan.

[rik]

5 minutes ago, I Always Sing Live said:

I'm no Hilary Duff stan, but I was so invested in the Breathe In. Breathe Out. era, lol. I would watch all those daytime show performances and root for her even though they were kind of a hot mess. But I loved the album so much, so I just felt like I had to. Also, that snarky little part about faux authenticity is just nonsense and fluff. I mean, to be fair, it's accurate, but it has nothing to do with Miss Lizzie. It's cute how invested you are, though. It really shows, and I love that for you.

I relate to this. I was trying to hard to make this a mainstream hit amongst my peers at the time. They all disliked it and even INSULTED REBEL HEARTS DNNDJDJDJEJDJDJD

in all fairness, I don’t think she’s much of a singer. Enough time has passed for me to see that her real acting is singing and I think it was easy for me to come to terms with it because she had already been gone since Reach Out. The amount of time that has passed between BIBO and now is almost the exact same amount of time that passed between Dignity and BIBO. That’s what’s also woken me up. Im happy she’s on TV, she belongs on a small screen (in the nicest way possible, she deserves to be a TV IT girl at the emmys and stuff!) 

 

you are very sweet and I really appreciate this thread!

[Midnight]

3 minutes ago, I Always Sing Live said:

You know what they say - never trust a Beyoncé fan.

you know me to well 

now stream One In A Million it's Hilary's ONLY good song.

 

[rik]

7 minutes ago, I Always Sing Live said:

Taylor Swift tease with them easter eggs. Don't come for her.

Taylor literally copies breathe in breathe out if I remember correctly…. She was all

 My favourite song off breathe in breathe out? Breathe in breathe out of course

on her tumblr or whateva….. and then she released a song w “x marks the spot where we left our hearts”  the next year

  Singer songwriter. Business woman. Actress. Mogul. Thief.  

Spoiler

After starting to come to terms with what happened in 2015 and after that breathe in breathe out summer, about three years later I found myself writing papers and smoking w**d frequently to this song in third year 

 

[rik]

10 minutes ago, Midnight said:

beautiful thread, thank you for posting 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

LMAO

[I Always Sing Live]

2 minutes ago, Midnight said:

you know me to well 

now stream One In A Million it's Hilary's ONLY good song.

Me seeing that you featured the thread and lifted my radio ban:

[itsxrichiexbish]

That time when Hilary tried saving pop. I love this shiiiii!

[Midnight]

3 minutes ago, I Always Sing Live said:

Me seeing that you featured the thread and lifted my radio ban:

everyone deserves a second chance even if they write about has-been flop artist 

[rik]

7 minutes ago, I Always Sing Live said:

You know what they say - never trust a Beyoncé fan.

 

these productions sound so similar.
 

in December 2004/January 2005 I went to visit my dads side of the family and at the time Much Music was super popular. I must have been 7 or just turned 8. At the time Much Music (Canada’s equivalent to MTV, especially back in the day) would release compilation CDs. Every holiday season, in preparation for the new year they would do a sort of year of end top hits. That year they released Much Music 2005. Outrageous was the track right after naughty girl and the transition was the flute they used…. To combine both songs. It was genius 

 I love me some Beyoncé. Hilary and Haiylies Our Lips are Sealed was also on this disc. Actually amazing artists were like Jay Z (dirt off your shoulders), Black Eyed Peas (let’s get it started), and more. 

 

funng enough it was my sister who bought the much music 2005. My cousin bought destiny fulfilled by destiny’s child…. And I bought Hilary duffs self titled 2004 CD. None of them probably remember this but my memory is kind of insane for a full time pothead lol

why did I make this thread abt my life and the music I was listening to at diff parts of it plz 

anyway