While most country singers celebrated milestones like releasing their debut album or winning their first award, Brooke Eden had a different highlight in her career. Back in 2021, the singer didn’t release a new album or win any awards. Instead, she embraced who she was and decided to come out as gay. Although hesitant about the idea of coming out as gay in country music, Eden recently explained how shocked she was by the reception she received in Nashville.
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Speaking with Parade, Eden remembered what it was like to hide her true self. Worried about how country music would react to the news, she found herself struggling with the truth. But thankfully, when she decided to share the news, Nashville embraced her with open arms. “The response was so much better and healthier than I thought.” She added, “Nashville wrapped its arms around me. It was really cool to let country music, and the community, surprise me.”
Although thankful for how country music reacted to the news, Eden never forgot the stress that came with hiding. “I ended up actually getting physically sick from, like, the mental strain. I couldn’t do it anymore.” She added, “I had to come out. I had to be a voice for our community.”
[RELATED: The Writer’s Block: Brooke Eden Talks Songwriting Journey and Favorite Songs]
Brooke Eden Goes From Gay Country Artist To Mom
With Eden not being the only gay country singer in the genre, she noted how they were making their own lane. “You don’t have to be gay to be gay country. Beyoncé is gay country! It’s such a fun time to be in country music, and it’s such a fun time to be queer in country music.”
Outside of her career as a gay country artist, Eden also expanded her family with wife Hilary Hoover. The couple welcomed their first child, Beckham, back in 2024. As for her wife, she also served as her touring manager. Thrilled to always have her family by her side, Eden insisted, “We just go show by show, week by week, day by day. It’s been challenging, but just such a cool kind of time in life — to do my career at this level, but also get to be a mom.”
With the future bright for Eden, she continued to focus on creating a “safe space where gay people don’t feel like they have to be ostracized from an entire genre of music.”
(Photo by Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images)
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