COUNTRY STAR BROOKE EDEN LIVING OUT LOUD

COUNTRY STAR BROOKE EDEN LIVING OUT LOUD

By Brian Scott Lipton

Brooke Eden may not yet be a household name, but the out-and-proud country music singer has performed with more than a few of them, including Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. She’s also become a fixture at many Pride concerts, including this year’s World Pride in Washington D.C. and tours in support of her own music, which includes numerous EPs and singles released over the last decade.

Although she began her career as a straight woman, she began secretly dating her then-radio rep Hilary Hoover in 2015. Eden then came out publicly in January 2021, married Hoover in 2022, and the couple welcomed a son in 2024. Today, she is not just a performer and loving wife and mother, but also a proud advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.

Brooke Eden may not yet be a household name, but the out-and-proud country music singer has performed with more than a few of them, including Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. She’s also become a fixture at many Pride concerts, including this year’s World Pride in Washington D.C. and tours in support of her own music, which includes numerous EPs and singles released over the last decade.

Although she began her career as a straight woman, she began secretly dating her then-radio rep Hilary Hoover in 2015. Eden then came out publicly in January 2021, married Hoover in 2022, and the couple welcomed a son in 2024. Today, she is not just a performer and loving wife and mother, but also a proud advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.

Connecticut Voice recently spoke to Eden about her personal and professional journeys, why she considers Pride to be akin to “suicide prevention,” the downside to being an “over-thinker,” and what she hopes will come true for all of country music.

CV: Is it hard to be a gay country singer? It’s not been traditionally a welcoming genre for gay people.

BE: I think my story is a little different than other people’s. When I got my first record deal in 2015, I didn’t know I was gay. I thought of myself a straight woman; but then I fell in love with Hilary, who was my radio representative. We could both come off as straight, so people thought our chemistry was just friendship. I was nervous about finding a space in the country community. But luckily, my fear of coming out professionally ended up being worse than the reality. Still, I think things are drastically different now because, since then, a few of us have come out as queer and been accepted.

CV: In fact, you’ve received a lot of support from the Grand Old Opry! Tell me about that.

BE: The Grand Old Opry has always been a pillar of our community. Not only have they welcomed Hilary; they even sent me a baby blanket when my son was born. And back in 2021, I was singing “She’s in Love with the Boy” at the Opry, and my friend Trisha Yearwood come onstage to sing it with me—and we changed it mid-song to “She’s in Love with The Girl.” The crowd loved it.

CV: Speaking of performing, you sang at many Pride Events this year, especially World Pride. Did you feel a different energy this year?

BE: Oh my god, yes, there was the best energy this year. At every concert, people showed up and showed out in crazy numbers. One of the amazing things about Pride is that everyone in the crowd knows what it’s like to feel unsafe, so people intentionally give each other space. It becomes beautiful chaos, rather than scary chaos. And World Pride was just amazing. Everyone was fighting the same fight! The energy was just so palpable, and the warmth of the community was really overwhelming.

CV: I read on your Facebook page that you said Pride was “literally suicide prevention.” Do you want to elaborate?

BE: I am usually a mentally stable person, but there were times during my coming out journey when I thought it might be easier if I wasn’t here. It’s a scary thought that anyone, at any age, should ever have to feel like that—especially for just loving someone. We live in a heteronormative society, and we’re all brainwashed not to accept ourselves. Pride shows you that you are not alone, and that there are people who have come out and lived their lives authentically and they are okay.

CV: During your Pride concerts, you performed your newest single, “Giddy Up!” Tell me about the inspiration for that song and why it was important to perform and record it?

BE: My parents met dancing at this honky-tonk in Florida. And my dad is a drummer in a local country band. Anyway, I have been line dancing since I was five years old; it has always been part of my life. Right now, we have this cool time where you have people from big cities to small towns, people of all races, who appreciate country music. I know country can sometimes feel like an exclusive club, so this song is my invitation to everyone to get on the floor and join us. The dance part is really accessible, even for beginners.

CV: I noticed that part of your “X” bio says: “Over Thinker.” Is that true all the time?

BE: The smaller the situation, the more I overthink. Ask me what I want for dinner, it’s not happening, but I can make big decisions in the blink of an eye. I used to be such a people-pleaser and so worried about what everyone else thinks. But I’ve gotten better at that!

CV: In 2022, you and Hilary got married. Was that a dream come true for you?
BE: When it came to relationships, I thought I would never get married. I figured I wasn’t ever going to pick out a wedding dress; I would just pick out my red-carpet dress. Things changed about three weeks after I met Hilary! I asked her about how she felt about the word “wife.”

CV: Last year, you and Hilary had your first child. How are you balancing the roles of performer and wife/mother?

BE: I am so lucky. I am basically a performer on weekends, so I can be a full-time mama during the week. And when I do go on tour, they come with me sometimes; Hillary is my tour manager now. We take it by show by show. Sometimes, my in-laws babysit for us. Having a village of people who love your baby is so important. It’s been a beautiful thing figuring out how this all works. But the bottom line is we’re raising him to get used to flying on planes. And he’ll have an instrument in his hands by the time he is three. He already loves the drums; we beatbox with him. In the end, though, we’ll support whatever he wants to do!

CV: Are you ready to have more kids?

BE: We are going to continue to grow our family at some point. I feel lucky to have a partner where we can make those decisions together. I remember being mad at God for making me a lesbian because I thought I couldn’t have children. But luckily, Hilary can carry my eggs and her eggs.

CV: What do you see in your future professionally?

BE: Country music is just getting started in really accepting anyone; it’s why I start my shows with this song “Rainbow Radio.” For me, it’s about creating a safe and free community within country, which is my goal. I will continue to have hard conversations about how country can be more accepting. Yes, I know that’s a pretty grand mission, but I really want there to be a time when everyone can feel safe, both as a performer as an audience member.