Brooke Eden

A two-time American Idol hopeful, Brooke Eden wound up going her own way, finding a niche as an independent artist within mainstream country-pop. Her first stab at the charts arrived in 2015, when she signed to Broken Bow Records’ Red Bow subsidiary and released the single “Daddy’s Money,” followed by the EP Welcome to the Weekend, music that was bright, tuneful, and firmly within the bold lines of modern country music. As the years progressed, Eden leaned into her hookiness, resulting in the shiny, poppy 2021 singles “No Shade” and “Sunroof,” songs inspired by her public coming out. An EP, Choosing You, appeared in 2022.
Eden was born Brooke Helvie in West Palm Beach, Florida, in 1989. Music was always a presence in the Helvie household, and her father, who made his living as a carpenter, played drums in a local country group in his spare time. Eden would often tag along with her dad when he played out, and in time she began singing with the group. By the time she was in her early teens, she’d developed an impressive talent as a singer, and was playing local festivals and opening sets for major artists such as Alan Jackson and Brooks & Dunn. (Eden also performed frequently with her high school friend Cassadee Pope, who went on to a successful career of her own.) In 2008, Eden auditioned for the music competition series American Idol and got a thumbs-up from judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson. When her audition was broadcast, her status as Miss South Florida was made fun of, and while she went on to Hollywood, she was cut from the show after the first day and never made the semifinals. Undeterred, she earned a marketing degree at the University of Florida and relocated to Nashville. She soon became a regular at Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, one of Music City’s most celebrated showcases for rising talent, while occasionally returning to Florida for paying gigs at home.
In 2014, Eden released a self-titled, five-song EP, and later that same year, she issued the single “American Dreamin’,” which made a major impression on satellite radio. In 2015, she signed with Red Bow Records, a branch of the BBR Music Group that also guided the careers of Jason Aldean, Dustin Lynch, and Thompson Square. Eden’s first single for Red Bow, “Daddy’s Money,” was released in December 2015, and was a celebration of her blue-collar upbringing and her determination to make her own way in life. The track peaked at 50 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart. Her Welcome to the Weekend EP arrived in 2016, followed by “Act Like You Don’t” in 2017; the single peaked at 49 on Country Airplay.
The next few years were relatively quiet, highlighted by a 2019 opening spot for Garth Brooks. After four years without new music, she went public with her romantic relationship with Hilary Hoover, who worked as a promotions director at Red Bow when they first met. Eden celebrated their love on the singles “No Shade” and “Sunroof,” both released in early 2021. Another single, “Left You for Me,” anchored her 2022 EP Choosing You. ~ Mark Deming