Brooke Eden Comes Out Swinging In “Sunroof”

By Annie Parnell, Staff Writer

On March 5, Brooke Eden released the music video for “Sunroof,” a joyful, soul-country love song that’s perfect for ushering some warmth into these early spring days. And it’s a perfect vehicle for the rising country star to claim her identity for all the world to see.

The video begins lightheartedly with Eden walking into a car dealership holding a wad of cash, humming along to the track’s recurring “ooo”s as she picks out a cherry red Mustang. Taking off down the road, she sings about Southern drawls and summer crushes, the bright colors and vivid lighting filling the atmosphere with cheer.

When Eden returns from changing her outfit to find a wide-smiling brunette sitting on the hood of her car, the song and video’s upbeat energy takes a meaningful turn, becoming a loud-and-proud testimony of queer love. The two women’s hands are a recurring image — waving together in the breeze and touching gently before finally clasping as they walk down beaches and docks, they mirror both the unfurling of a sapphic love story and the joy of finding a relationship that breaks down your walls.

There’s a hidden layer of meaning in all this summery celebration: Eden’s love interest in the video is played by her real-life girlfriend, Nashville promotions director Hailey Hoover. In January, the pair officially opened up about their relationship on Instagram, confessing that they’d been keeping it secret for nearly four years, out of fears expressed by Eden’s team members that coming out would hurt her career.

So far, it seems like the opposite has happened. Since going public, Eden has gotten a wave of support similar to fellow queer country star (and newly Emmy-nominated) TJ Osborne, and both “Sunroof” and its music video are undeniable hits. It’s an absolute treat to watch Brooke and Hailey be together so openly, especially when Eden sings “being beside you just feels right.” 

Watching the two women stroll along the gorgeous beaches of Eden’s Florida hometown, their arms slung casually around each other, feels just right too. In “Sunroof,” queer love is as happy and comforting as a warm summer breeze, a testament to the joy of being both together and truly yourself.