If there is one thing that we love about country music, it is the fact that the songs of the genre are written based off real life experiences. Our lives drive the lyrics and the meaning of each song which is why country music fans can relate with the songs like no other genre does- because we feel or have felt, at one point or another, the way the songwriter did when they wrote that particular song. But what about when a song is written off a real life experience, not from their own life, but someone else’s? That is exactly what happened in Brooke Eden’s brand new single, ‘Daddy’s Money.’
Living in Nashville, Tennessee, the Florida native would always be going back and forth between the Music City and the Sunshine State. At the time, Brooke was living with another singer-songwriter, Kallie North of the Muddy Magnolias, and Kallie was curious when Brooke would leave every couple weeks to go back to Florida. Kallie asked Brooke why she was doing so and Brooke responded by saying, “Girl, I Gotta make that dough! I got to pay rent.” Not knowing this was the case, North followed up by saying that she thought Brooke came from money and her parents were helping her with money to pay for food and rent, etc. But Brooke told her, “Girl, I ain’t never had daddy’s money.” Two days later, Kallie sent Brooke a new song, co-written with Muddy Magnolias member Jessy Wilson, saying, ‘I just wrote this song. And it’s based on your life. No one else can sing it except for you.’ Brooke listened to the song, fell in love with it, and a year and a half later, it’s her debut single.
Upon first listen of ‘Daddy’s Money,’ it’s pretty easy to hear how strong Brooke’s vocals are and that is not only a testament to her drive to be a woman in country music, but also a nod to all of women in every career in every industry. Brooke recounts how when she moved to Nashville, people told her to get into a duo with a male: ‘Girls just aren’t doing it in country music. You have your Carrie Underwood, you have your Miranda Lambert and you have your Taylor Swift. There’s no more room for females.’ But growing up in the 90’s, Brooke grew up listening to Shania Twain, Faith Hill, and Martina McBride, among other strong females in the genre. And she just thought, “I know that there’s room for me.” All of that went into her vocals in ‘Daddy’s Money’- Everyone telling her she couldn’t do it. Brooke goes on to say,
“When I sing a song, I don’t just sing it. The vocals really come from my heart. What I was thinking of, was all the girls out there who, not only are in the music industry that, have a hard time just because they are girls but for all the girls in every aspect of life or job in America that don’t get paid what men get paid. They don’t get the opportunities that men get, but continue to push forward and not let their gender be any kind of excuse. So I did it for all the girls out there who are working for their dreams out there.“
Brooke has been working for this career her entire life as she’s been singing since she was four years old and believing she could make it the entire time. To be able to move to Nashville and make this a reality is something that has been amazing for Brooke and she is indeed living her dream, while also chasing the bigger dream. So for that, ‘Daddy’s Money,’ is also a tribute to. “It’s an anthem for everybody who comes from really humble beginnings and decides that they are going to do what they want and live their dreams no matter what,” she explains.
It’s remarkable to see how far Brooke has come since we first saw her perform this past April at Tortuga Music Festival. Since then, she has really gotten to hone in on which songs are her favorite as well as make some changes to her band. Her band is now made up of the guys that she will always have beside her on stage. Now, she is traveling the country on a radio tour, promoting her debut single. To say she has achieved her goal is an understatement. But there is so much more to come for Brooke Eden. And she’s done it without ‘Daddy’s Money.’
Give Brooke a follow on her Twitter and Facebook, as well as her official website.
Purchase ‘Daddy’s Money’ on iTunes here.
(Main photo: Joseph Llanes)