Hilary Duff sings What Dreams Are Made Of during first live show in a decade

Hilary Duff has finally brought her beloved song What Dreams Are Made Of to the stage, performing it live for the very first time.

Stepping back into the spotlight after ten years away from music, the actress and singer made her return on Monday night at O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire as part of her Small Rooms, Big Nerves run of intimate shows.

As reported by Rolling Stone, Hilary treated fans to favourites including Wake Up and Come Clean during the 17 song set, alongside several tracks lifted from her forthcoming sixth studio album, Luck... or Something.

The biggest reaction of the night came when she wrapped up the show with What Dreams Are Made Of, a song she first recorded for the soundtrack to the 2003 film The Lizzie McGuire Movie.

Hilary has yet to publicly address why she chose to perform the track now, though writers at Rolling Stone described the closing moment as “triumphant”.

Back in November, the mother of four explained on the Therapuss podcast that she had always avoided singing What Dreams Are Made Of at her own shows because it “wasn’t technically my song”.

“It was a Lizzie McGuire song,” she told host Jake Shane, pointing out that she was only around 14 years old when the project came together. “Some of the like, being in Italy for Lizzie McGuire (I remember) but then the rest of it filmed in Vancouver. I could barely remember any of that stuff.”

Elsewhere in the discussion, Hilary said she would be open to performing the song again in the future if she received approval from Disney executives.

“Actually, when I sing it now, I feel a lot of joy. I just think that there was such a separation back then of me and my music and Lizzie McGuire,” the 38 year old said. “But if I would ever tour again, I think, maybe, I would be allowed to manage to sing that song somehow, someway. Maybe, you know, just maybe like hypothetically.”

Hilary famously portrayed Lizzie McGuire in the Lizzie McGuire series, which aired on Disney Channel from 2001 through 2004.

Luck... or Something, created by the Younger actress alongside her husband Matthew Koma, is scheduled for release on 20 February.