Brooke Ellen Bollea (born May 5, 1988), better known by her stage name Brooke Hogan, is an American television personality, singer, and actress. The daughter of professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, she at one point served as an on-screen personality for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA, now Impact Wrestling).
She took an early interest in music and began working on her first studio album in 2002. In an attempt to promote her music career, Hogan and her father appeared in a one-hour special on VH1. The special proved to be a ratings success, leading to Hogan and her family starring in the reality television series Hogan Knows Best (2005–07). The show saw a then-teenage Brooke struggling with her overprotective father and recording her debut album. Her first studio album, Undiscovered, was released in 2006. It was preceded by the single "About Us", which entered the top-forty of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
While Hogan began working on her second album, personal struggles among her family led to the cancellation of Hogan Knows Best. This led to Hogan starring in her own television series, Brooke Knows Best (2008–09). Though her parents and brother made numerous appearances throughout the series, it mainly focused on Brooke and the recording of her new music. Hogan's second studio album, The Redemption (2009), failed to match the success of its predecessor. The album spawned two singles, neither of which had much success. Following the conclusion of Brooke Knows Best, Hogan pursued a career in acting, making numerous appearances in low-budget films and television shows. In 2012, Hogan signed on to appear on Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA), alongside her father. She was released from the series after a year on the program. Hogan starred in the satire film L.A. Slasher (2015), and worked on two extended plays consisting of country music in 2015 and 2018.
Early life
Brooke Ellen Bollea was born May 5, 1988, in Tampa, Florida, the older child of Hulk Hogan (Terry Gene Bollea) and Linda Claridge. She has one younger brother, Nick Hogan (Nick Bollea).
In high school, she took dance classes, voice lessons, piano lessons, and gymnastics. She joined the cheerleading squad of her Clearwater, Florida school, Clearwater Central Catholic High School, in her first year (though she only stayed at the school for the first half of first year). She also sang inhibitor chorus for CCCHS. Hogan graduated from high school at the age of sixteen.
Career
2002–2005: Music beginnings and reality series
Hogan was signed to Trans Continental Records in 2002. Some music was produced with LFO member Rich Cronin's assistance. The album's lead single, "Everything to Me", was released in July 2004. The song appeared at number one on the Hot 100 Singles Sales chart in the United States, and number 97 on the Billboard Hot 100. To promote the album, Hogan toured with Hilary Duff on her Most Wanted Tour throughout the US, as well as with the Backstreet Boys on their Up Close & Personal Tour, both of which took place from mid 2004 to early 2005. The album, Brooke Hogan: This Voice, was slated for a September 21, 2004 release date, but the album was not released.
Hogan and her father appeared in the hour-long profile (Inside) Out: Hulk Hogan, Stage Dad. The television special chronicled Hogan working on her debut album, as well as showed her father's role in the album making process. Her father later stated that the show was mainly an attempt to help promote Brooke and her upcoming music career. The special was a major success for the network, and the success of the special led to VH1 turning it into an entire television series, titled Hogan Knows Best. The series premiered in July 2005, and was the highest rated series in the network's history. The show chronicled the Hogan family's life together, although it mainly focused on Brooke and her father. Hogan Knows Best presented her father as strict with her dating. On the show, Hulk placed a GPS tracker on Brooke's vehicle that enabled him to track her whereabouts and shut down the engine of her car remotely. However, Brooke said in a later interview that her father loosened up after her eighteenth birthday.
2006–2008: Undiscovered and Brooke Knows Best
In 2006, Hogan changed record labels and became the first artist signed to Scott Storch's label, initially called Storchaveli Records, but later named Storch Music Company. She also signed with SoBe Entertainment. Storch also became the album's main producer. During an interview, Hogan stated that she was recording the album at The Hit Factory in Miami, Florida, where rapper Paul Wall heard a clip of the song "About Us" and asked to be on the song.