Ally Brooke Bio
Allyson Brooke Bracey (née Hernandez; born July 7, 1993) is an American singer from San Antonio, Texas. She first rose to national attention as a member of the pop group Fifth Harmony, formed during the second season of The X Factor in 2012. After the group went on an indefinite hiatus in 2018, Brooke launched a solo career that spans English and Spanish-language pop, a published memoir, and television appearances.
Brooke is recognized for her major-label debut single “Low Key” featuring Tyga in 2019, her memoir Finding Your Harmony published in 2020, and her third-place finish on season 28 of Dancing with the Stars. She has also been involved in charity work with organizations including March of Dimes, the ASPCA, and DoSomething.org.
Early Life and Background
Allyson Brooke Hernandez was born on July 7, 1993, in San Antonio, Texas, to Jerry Hernandez and Patricia Castillo. She has an older brother, Brandon. Brooke was born six weeks premature, weighing one pound and fourteen ounces at birth. She is of Mexican descent, although her parents chose not to teach her Spanish in childhood to prevent her from facing discrimination in school.
For her elementary education, Brooke attended Cornerstone Christian Schools in San Antonio. She completed her high school education through homeschooling. Growing up in a Christian household, Brooke has spoken about her faith and has stated that she planned to remain a virgin until marriage. The singer Selena has been cited by Brooke as her greatest musical influence.
As a young performer, Brooke took part in local performances and school activities, building the foundation for her future career in music. Her Mexican-American heritage and Texas upbringing would later play a role in shaping her interest in exploring both English and Spanish-language pop music.
Path to Music
Brooke’s first major step toward a professional music career came when she auditioned for The X Factor in Austin, Texas, not far from her hometown of San Antonio. She sang “On My Knees” by contemporary Christian and Latin pop singer Jaci Velasquez for her initial audition and advanced through the bootcamp round singing “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.” Although she was eliminated during bootcamp, she was brought back alongside Dinah Jane, Normani, Lauren Jauregui, and Camila Cabello to form the group Fifth Harmony.
The newly formed group advanced to the live shows and finished in third place on the competition. Following the finale, Fifth Harmony was signed to Syco Music and Epic Records. The group went on to release the EP Better Together in 2013, followed by the studio albums Reflection in 2015, 7/27 in 2016, and their self-titled album Fifth Harmony in 2017.
During her time with the group, Brooke performed on major tours and television programs, building a wide fan base. The experience also exposed her to songwriting, studio production, and stage performance at a professional level, preparing her for a solo career after the group announced an indefinite hiatus on March 19, 2018.
Ally Brooke Career
Early Career (2012–2018)
Brooke’s first notable work came as part of Fifth Harmony, whose debut EP Better Together helped establish the group as a rising act in pop music. The group followed with Reflection and 7/27, both of which charted on the Billboard 200. Fifth Harmony also earned nominations at the MTV Video Music Awards and Teen Choice Awards during this period.
Alongside her work with the group, Brooke began exploring solo opportunities. In June 2017, she was featured alongside rapper ASAP Ferg on “Look at Us Now” by Lost Kings. She collaborated with German DJ Topic on the single “Perfect” in January 2018 and performed a medley of Selena and Jennifer Lopez songs on Lip Sync Battle. In March 2018, she sang at the E! News red carpet pre-show of the 90th Academy Awards.
Breakthrough (2017–2020)
Brooke’s solo breakthrough began in 2018 when she signed a record deal with Latium Entertainment and Atlantic Records. She released “Vámonos,” a collaboration with Dutch trio Kris Kross Amsterdam and Messiah, and performed the song at the 2018 ALMA Awards. In November 2018, she released a cover of “Last Christmas” by Wham! and performed it at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Her major-label debut single, “Low Key” featuring Tyga, was released on January 31, 2019, marking her official arrival as a solo artist. In 2019, she released additional singles including “Lips Don’t Lie” featuring A Boogie wit da Hoodie and “Higher” with Matoma. From September to November 2019, Brooke competed on the 28th season of Dancing with the Stars, finishing in third place with partner Sasha Farber. She received her first perfect score from the judges while dancing to her own song “Higher.”
On December 8, 2019, she opened the Miss Universe beauty pageant with a medley of her singles and a Selena tribute, performing “I Could Fall in Love” and “Dreaming of You.” In January 2020, she announced her Time To Shine Tour, which kicked off on March 6 in Chicago but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Her memoir Finding Your Harmony was published on October 13, 2020, covering her childhood and rise as a solo artist.
Career Evolution (2021–2023)
In August 2021, Brooke signed a joint record deal with indie labels Duars Entertainment and AMSI, becoming the first female artist signed to either company. She was featured on “Break” by Carlos Santana, included on the album Blessings and Miracles released on October 15, 2021. In October 2021, Brooke announced that her debut solo album would be entirely in Spanish, releasing “Mi Música” as the lead single.
Throughout 2021 and 2022, she released additional Spanish-language singles including “Por Ti,” “High Expectations,” and “Tequila.” She also featured on collaborations including “Ella Estuvo Aquí” with Crystal Lewis, “La Cita” with Deorro, and “High Fashion Drugs (Remix).”
Recent Work (2023–2024)
After her departure from Atlantic and a period focused on Spanish-language music, Brooke returned to pop with the single “Gone to Bed,” released on September 29, 2023, under Snafu Records. On December 1, 2023, she released her holiday EP Under the Tree, which included a reissue version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” with her Fifth Harmony bandmate Dinah Jane. The collaboration marked the first musical reunion between members of the group since their 2018 hiatus, and the duo performed the song on The Kelly Clarkson Show on December 21, 2023.
On February 9, 2024, Brooke released “Alone with You,” a collaboration with Jim Brickman written by Diane Warren. The song served as the second single from Brickman’s album Because You Loved Me: Diane Warren Re-Imagined.
Notable Works and Milestones
Brooke’s signature solo works include “Low Key” (2019), her major-label debut single featuring Tyga, and the holiday EP Under the Tree (2023). Her memoir Finding Your Harmony (2020) and her third-place finish on Dancing with the Stars season 28 are among her most recognized career moments. Her Spanish-language releases “Mi Música,” “Por Ti,” and “Tequila” highlighted her willingness to explore new creative directions in her solo career.
Ally Brooke Award Nominations
Ally Brooke has not received verified individual award nominations based on the available sources. The information available focuses primarily on her music releases, memoir, and television appearances rather than individual award recognition. The provided sources do not confirm specific nomination counts for Ally Brooke as a solo artist, and any further detail cannot be stated with certainty.
Ally Brooke Awards Won
Based on the available sources, no verified individual award wins for Ally Brooke as a solo artist have been confirmed. The sources confirm her professional achievements in music, publishing, and television, including her work with Fifth Harmony, her solo singles, her memoir, and her Dancing with the Stars appearance, but do not list verified solo award wins.
Ally Brooke Family
Allyson Brooke Hernandez was born in San Antonio, Texas, and raised by her parents, Jerry Hernandez and Patricia Castillo. She has one older brother, Brandon. Brooke is of Mexican descent and grew up in a Christian household. She later married Will Bracey on May 3, 2025, taking his family name as her own.
Personal Life
Brooke is a Christian and has publicly stated her intention to remain a virgin until marriage. She has cited the late Tejano singer Selena as her greatest musical influence. Brooke had a Spanish tutor in 2018 as she prepared to record Spanish-language material, building on her Mexican-American heritage.
Brooke was in a long-term relationship with Will Bracey, with whom she got engaged on December 18, 2023, in New York City. Bracey proposed at a New York City art gallery with a ring designed in Turkey by a private jeweler. The couple married on May 3, 2025.