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Who is Brooke Ligertwood?
Brooke Ligertwood is a respected platinum-selling recording artist and Grammy Award-winning songwriter, producer, and worship leader. Ligertwood has become synonymous with modern worship music, particularly through her work with Hillsong Church. She has served the church through song and creativity for many years as part of Hillsong Worship, which she leads worldwide.
Brooke Gabrielle Ligertwood (Fraser) was born on 15 December 1983 in New Zealand.
Fraser is the eldest of three children. Her father, Bernie Fraser, is of Fijian, Portuguese and Scottish descent. Fraser grew up in Naenae, Lower Hutt and attended Dyer Street School, Naenae High School and Naenae College.
Brooke took piano lessons from the age of seven. She began writing songs at the age of 12 and taught herself to play acoustic guitar at the age of 15. Brooke began writing for Soul Purpose magazine at the age of fifteen and later became an editor in 2002. She left her job as an editor shortly after moving to Auckland in late 2002 to pursue her music career.
In 2002, at the age of 18, Fraser signed a multi-album deal with Sony Music, following a fierce bidding war between labels.
Fraser’s first album, What to Do with Daylight, was released in New Zealand in late 2003. It debuted at number one and was certified gold the same week. The album eventually went on to be certified seven times platinum, selling over 105,000 copies in New Zealand alone. It remained in the charts for sixty-six weeks. All five singles from the album reached the top twenty of the New Zealand Singles Chart. Her album also topped the New Zealand Albums Chart for 2004. The album was certified gold in Australia.
Following the release of What to Do with Daylight, Fraser toured Australia and New Zealand with American artist John Mayer and then with David Bowie.
Following the success of her first album, Fraser moved to Sydney in 2004.
In 2005, prior to writing and preparing her next album, Fraser traveled to Rwanda. Fraser wrote the song “Albertine” about a young genocide victim she met while in Rwanda. The song became the title track of her second album. For this album, Fraser decided to use a group of American session musicians.
In 2006, Fraser and the band went into a studio in Los Angeles to record the album with producer Marshall Altman. The album’s first single, “Deciphering Me,” reached number 4 on the New Zealand singles charts in 2006. Albertine was released in New Zealand on 4 December 2006 and was certified double platinum less than a month after its release. In Australia, it peaked at number 29 in its first week and achieved gold sales status.
Albertine also became Fraser’s debut album in the United States. It entered the Billboard 200 at number 90 on 19 July 2008. The album was chosen as an Editor’s Pick on iTunes.
In 2008, Fraser embarked on an extensive world tour, culminating in the Montreal Jazz Festival and the Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London, UK, following which Fraser left Hillsong Worship.
On 17 March 2008, she married Scott Ligertwood in Sydney. However, she continued to perform under her maiden name “Fraser” in her solo career until the release of her live album Seven in 2022.
Her third album, Flags, was recorded at East West Studios in Hollywood and released on 12 October 2010 in New Zealand, Australia and North America. Fraser followed this with a tour.
Flags peaked at number 1 on the New Zealand Albums Chart, number 3 in Australia and entered at number 59 on the Billboard 200 in the United States. Flags has been certified gold in Australia and 3× platinum in New Zealand. The lead single, “Something in the Water,” achieved massive radio success worldwide. The single achieved double platinum sales in New Zealand, where it spent 21 weeks on the 2010 singles chart.
Flags was released in July 2011 in Europe and debuted on the album charts at number 6 in Germany, number 33 in Austria and number 24 in Switzerland. Following the release of Flags, Fraser signed a recording contract with Vagrant Records and began recording her fourth studio album.
On 13 August 2014, Fraser released a track titled “Psychosocial” on SoundCloud. The song marked a change in Fraser’s musical direction, moving away from acoustic and self-penned melodies to more electronic sounds. Her single “Kings and Queens” was released to radio on 22 September 2014 and became available for digital download on 26 September 2014.
Her fourth studio album, Brutal Romantic was released in Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia on 14 November 2014 and in North America on 17 November 2014.
In September 2015, Fraser performed a song titled “Team, Ball, Player, Thing” as part of the charity supergroup #KiwisCureBatten. It was the official All Blacks fan song for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. It also went to aid Batten disease research through the New Zealand charity Cure Kids. The track was released as a single on 11 September 2015. The day after its release, the single debuted at number 6 on the New Zealand Top 40 chart.
In 2016, she released the single “Therapy,” which was included on her first compilation album, A Sides, released in November. It was followed by her second compilation album, B Sides, in November 2018.
In 2016 she also released the live album Let There Be Light, which was Brooke’s first recording with Hillsong Worship since her departure in 2010. She co-wrote and sang lead vocals on the song “What a Beautiful Name.”
At the 2018 Grammy Awards, the group won Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for “What a Beautiful Name.” Billboard ranked the song as the best Christian song of 2017 and the third best of the 2010s decade.
On February 25, 2022, Brooke released Seven. It is her first solo live album, her first solo work since returning to Hillsong Worship, and the first to be released under the Ligertwood name since her marriage.
On April 28, 2023, she released Siete, an EP consisting of five songs from Seven in Spanish.
On October 20, 2023, her first studio album in nine years was released. Fraser revealed during the album’s press tour that she had parted ways with Hillsong after several controversies and major changes within the church.
On June 22, 2024, she performed with the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra at a concert at Spark Arena in Auckland. The concert was the largest crowd ever at the venue.
On August 8, 2024, she released a live album, Infinity, featuring Benjamin Tennikoff.
A prolific songwriter, Ligertwood has written many beloved church hymns like “What A Beautiful Name,” “King of Kings,” and “Hosanna,” as well as devotionals like “Awake My Soul,” “New Wine,” “None But Jesus,” and many more. Ligertwood’s songs have been streamed more than 1.5 billion times worldwide, translated into more than 15 languages, and have topped the CCLI charts with two #1 hits and multiple Top 25 hits.
Ligertwood and her husband, songwriter/creative director Scott, reside in Southern California with their two daughters.
Martin 000-28 Brooke Ligertwood
The Martin 000-28 Brooke Ligertwood is an instrument built for the rich, warm, and captivating tones that have become synonymous with Brooke music. The 000-28 already has a reputation for crystal-clear notes coupled with a delightful warmth.
This auditorium-style guitar is available with a sunburst or natural top.
The East Indian Rosewood back and sides provide clear, bell-like tones coupled with the powerful resonance that comes with rosewood.
The top is made from Sitka Spruce, known for its wide dynamic range and harmonic balance throughout the registers.
The Ebony fingerboard adds depth and resonance to the overall sound, providing rich, well-defined lows and crisp highs.
Specification Table
| Category | Specification |
|---|---|
| General | |
| Brand: | Martin |
| Configuration: | |
| Strings: | 6 |
| Made in: | United States |
| Series: | Custom & Special Editions |
| Colors: | Natural |
| Left-Handed Version: | No |
| Body | |
| Type: | Hollowbody |
| Body Material: | Solid Spruce with VTS |
| Bridge: | Ebony |
| Neck | |
| Neck Joint: | Set |
| Tuners: | Nickel Open Gear |
| Fretboard: | Ebony |
| Neck Material: | Select Hardwood |
| Decoration: | Abalone Diamond & Square Long w/ Signature |
| Scale Size: | 24.9″ |
| Shape: | Acoustic Modified V |
| Frets: | 20 Medium |
| Fretboard Radius: | 16″ |
| Nut: | Bone |
| Nut Width: | 42.9mm (1.688”) |
| Electronics | |
| Switch: | 0 Way |
| Knobs: | |
| Volume Controls: | 0 |
| Tone Controls: | 0 |
| Bridge Pickup: | Fishman Gold Plus Natural I (Preamp / Active) |