Brooke Hogan: From Reality TV To Country Musician

The following article includes mentions of mental health and suicide.

America first met Brooke Hogan as the teenage daughter of wrestling legend Hulk Hogan in the 2005 reality television series "Hogan Knows Best." Born Brooke Ellen Bollea, the singer, who once lived in the shadow of her famous dad, found a voice of her own. The reality series provided a platform for Brooke to launch her music career, as she shared in a conversation with Big Frog 104. "The show was supposed to be Hulk Hogan as a 'stage mom' where he hands me my lipstick or microphone," Brooke recalled. "That was really the hook for the show. It helped with the music, but it ended up becoming bigger than we thought."

Brooke became a pop star with hits like "For a Moment" and "About Us." Years after "Hogan Knows Best" had ended, she was still remembered by fans. In a 2021 interview with the "Hollywood Raw" podcast, the singer said, "People recognize my voice, which I think is so strange. They peek their head around the corner at CVS or something and they're like, 'I knew that voice.'" Brooke eventually found a love for country music and hasn't looked back since. Keep reading for the story of her stunning transformation.

Brooke Hogan was born in Tampa, Florida, on May 5, 1988, to Terry Eugene Bollea – popularly known as Hulk Hogan — and his first wife, Linda Hogan (née Claridge). She grew up with her brother, Nick Hogan, who was born on July 27, 1990. Although Hulk was famous, his approach to fatherhood was never affected by his stardom. Brooke told Big Frog 104, "My brother and I only ever knew him as 'our dad,' and there's still a level of mystique and it never wears off, even when we see the level of impact he's had on the world."

The Hogans had a lavish lifestyle. As of 1987, they owned two homes in Florida and Connecticut and were just getting started on building a mansion in the San Fernando Valley in California. Unlike most celebrities who live affluently, the Hogans' day-to-day living wasn't interrupted by the paparazzi. When she was asked about her childhood, Brooke told the "Hollywood Raw" podcast, "Living in Clearwater, Florida, helped. I will say, like, I look at all these Britney Spears stuff and she's like, 'Oh my God, I can't leave my house, I can't do this.' I'm like, you need to move to Clearwater, girl, because there are no paparazzi there ... it is still like a little hidden gem."

Brooke Hogan was an all-round talent when she was growing up. She played the piano from the time she was 5 years old and learned gymnastics and dance. She went to Clearwater Central Catholic High School in Clearwater, Florida and was part of the cheering squad. Although fans may assume that Brooke was popular because of her well-known family name, that couldn't be further from the truth, as she was isolated and made an easy target for mean students. "It was really miserable," Brooke revealed in a Hulk Hogan documentary (via Essentially Sports). "Oh my gosh, it was so cliquey. I'd sit at the end of the lunch table, just eating my weird sandwich that I had and I was just itching to get out of high school."

Nevertheless, Brooke had other long-lasting friendships. In a 2018 Facebook post, she shared pictures of her memories with fitness enthusiast Rachel Speck in honor of their 10-year friendship anniversary. Two years later, Brooke gave a shout out to a childhood friend, John Monaco Vacci, who showed up to her autograph signing. "My best guy friend since KINDERGARTEN came by the signing today and our childish ways came out ... love you @johnacovacci," the singer wrote on Facebook.

"Hogan Knows Best" premiered on VH1 in July 2005, and the show gave fans a holistic view into the lives of the Hogan family. Its first season covered diverse storylines, including Brooke Hogan's first date and burgeoning music aspirations, Nick Hogan's dating life, and Hulk Hogan's induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Just two years later, the show was canceled in 2007 after a four-season run. During that period, the family experienced many changes and challenges that may have contributed to its cancelation. First, Linda Hogan and Hulk split up amid accusations of Hulk having an affair with Brooke's best friend, Christiane Plante. Afterward, Linda started dating Brooke's schoolmate, Charlie Hill, which led to a strained relationship with her daughter. Second, the family had lost their enthusiasm, as Linda told "Good Morning America" (via ABC News) in 2009. "We all worked really hard and way too much to the point where we really didn't have any emotion left," she explained.

Then, Nick Hogan was involved in an August 2007 car crash that left his best friend severely injured, and he eventually had to serve time. The unfortunate events in the Hogans' lives drove Hulk into a depressive state. The former wrestler told "Today" that he considered taking his own life. It took one phone call from Hulk's "American Gladiators" co-host Laila Ali for him to rethink the choice.

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Brooke Hogan made her mainstream music debut in July 2004 when she released the single, "Everything to Me." The song was a hit and made it to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Sales chart. It took a little over two years for her to drop her debut 2006 album, "Undiscovered."

The project came on the heels of a new record deal and was a result of long working hours, as Hogan shared in a conversation with IGN. "It was four months of 20 hour days," she told the outlet. "Once I signed with SoBe Music and Scott Storch, there was a deadline to get the album out. So we started working and working hard. We just got in there and busted it out."

"Undiscovered" contained 16 songs in total, including Hogan's personal favorites, "For a Moment" and "My Number," as she told the WWE. The album was a commercial success, with 30,000 copies being sold in its first week of release and debuting at No. 28 on the Billboard 200 chart. Its lead single, "About Us," featuring rapper Paul Wall, reached No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Three years later, Hogan released her second album, "The Redemption." It was a commercial flop, having made it to No. 144 on the Billboard 200 chart and only sold a little over 3,000 copies on its release week.

Brooke Hogan's spin-off, "Brooke Knows Best," premiered on VH1 in July 2008. The reality television series documented Hogan's decision to venture out on her own. In her chat with the "Hollywood Raw" podcast, Hogan said the move was influenced by the need to get away from wrangles within her family. "There was so much drama back home that I was like 'I cannot wait to move out,'" she shared.

Hogan, who was 18 when she first left home, moved into a shared luxurious Miami apartment with her friends. Throughout the show's two-season run, she had numerous adventures, including getting a tattoo in honor of her independence, trying out pole fitness, and even finding herself at a peculiar yacht party. She also supported good causes like the green movement and Becca's Closet, an organization that helped less fortunate high school seniors receive prom dresses.

To promote the show, Hogan connected with her fans through Myspace, the hot social media of the era. In one video clip, Hogan updated audiences on the show's last season, saying, "We actually start filming our second season of 'Brooke Knows Best' next month. So, we're going to be filming every single day and the cameras are not going to go home."

Following in her famous father's footsteps, Brooke Hogan made her first WWE appearance with Hulk Hogan in 2006. Six years later, she began a career in professional wrestling of her own. But, unlike her dad, she wasn't in the ring throwing punches.

In 2012, 24-year-old Brooke was brought in as the head of TNA's "Impact Wrestling" female wrestling division, The Knockouts. Speaking with "Sway in the Morning," Brooke revealed that she got the opportunity because of an existing friendship between her and the organization's president from her music days. Contrary to speculation that her father was involved in her appointment, he was actually surprised when he learned that she'd gotten the job. "I think I gave him a heart attack," Brooke told Sway Calloway. "He actually didn't know."

Brooke was officially introduced to the wrestling audience by former TNA Wrestling president Dixie Carter, who expressed that she was impressed by the singer's passion for the sport. "It was us — girl power — talking about the most important girls in the wrestling business today. You excite me when we talk about this, and I'm really really really looking forward to all you're gonna do for us," Carter said. Although Brooke's entry into the "Impact Wrestling" family was much hyped, she had a quiet exit in August 2013. Per PWInsider, she was let go amid an organizational budget reshuffle.

In June 2013, former Dallas Cowboys center Phil Costa and Brooke Hogan got engaged. Costa popped the question in Las Vegas, Nevada, and a thrilled Hogan took to Instagram (via ABC News) to share the good news. "Happiest moment of my LIFE," the then-25-year-old captioned a since-deleted picture of Costa going down on one knee. "I am marrying my best friend. I wouldn't choose anyone else. I am so lucky and so grateful."

Luck wasn't on their side, after all, when it emerged that the couple was no longer engaged. Brooke reportedly called it quits in November of that year, so she could concentrate on making music. According to E! News, the singer was working on a new album which was bound to be released in 2014.

In an August 2014 conversation with CBS News, Hulk Hogan took responsibility for the couple's breakup. He said he had to make the tough decision even though he was a Dallas Cowboys fan. "I put a bullet in that really quick," Hulk told the outlet. "There was no way my daughter was going to marry somebody that I don't like, that got me mad, or has got in my face."

The National Enquirer leaked an audio tape of Hulk Hogan using a racial slur in July 2015. Hulk had reportedly directed the words at Brooke Hogan's black boyfriend eight years prior, and said, "I guess we're all a little racist," per Radar Online. The leak brought a controversial ending to Hulk's wrestling career. On one hand, Hulk's lawyer David Houston told People that he opted to voluntarily resign from the WWE. The organization, on the other hand, told the publication that Hulk had been dismissed. His name was consequently removed from the Hall of Fame on the WWE website.

Hulk issued an apology, and amid the chaos, his daughter, Brooke, came to his defense. In a since-deleted poem posted on Facebook (via New York Post), Brooke wrote in part, "If you knew my father / you would see your own in mine / And if he was your father, you could never find divide / Cause me — I bet your father, or someone that you love / Maybe regrets something they wish they'd never done."

In May 2016, Hulk reportedly took media company Gawker to court over the leaked transcript. Hulk and the publication were already embroiled in a years-long lawsuit over the leaking of a sex tape in 2012. They reached a reported $31 million settlement in November 2016. In July 2018, the wrestling veteran was re-inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Brooke Hogan cemented her name as a pop artist, but her career took a different turn in 2015. Hogan ventured into country music with the September release of a five-song extended play titled "I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend." In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Hogan said the music genre became more appealing as she aged. "As I got older, [country music] started making sense," she said. "With being a songwriter, it started to mean more to me, and this just was pulling me in that direction." Hogan released her second country project, an extended play dubbed "So Many Summers," in April 2018. She has since released several country tracks, including "Love People," "Move," and the 2024 song, "Boomerang."

Hogan has a special connection to Nashville, and it has everything to do with the city's musical influence. "I fell in love with Nashville because of the songwriters. It was a different style of music than what I was used to writing. I really learned that art of songwriting in Nashville. It's hard for me to listen to anything but country," she shared in her chat with Big Frog 104. She eventually settled in the city and owns an interior design business called BB Designs by Brooke.

Brooke Hogan and former Orlando Solar Bears ice hockey player Steven Oleksy tied the knot on June 8, 2022. The couple met through friends and had their low-profile nuptials in Orlando, Florida. They both kept their marriage away from the public. Speaking to TMZ in 2024, Hogan explained that they opted to stay lowkey to avoid the meddling that comes with stardom. She also asked her family — whom she's since alienated – and friends to respect her choice. "It's just that, I've been through so much stuff in my life," Hogan told the outlet. "I was like, the one thing that feels like it's just so untouched and it's so pure. I was like, I just don't want to, you know, let the claws of fame sink its teeth into [it]."

Hogan added that she took her time to find the one, especially since been through a ton of heartbreaks. On January 1, 2024, she posted Oleksy on Instagram for the first time, with the couple looking cute in a black and white selfie. Hogan showered praises on her beau, writing in part, "The kindest, sweetest badass you'll ever meet. I'm really lucky. God did me a solid on this one." For more on Hogan's exhilarating journey, check out what she's been up to.