Brooke Wheeler Celebrates “frutigaze” EP Release at the OG Basement
Brooke Wheeler held the release show for her “frutigaze” EP at the OG Basement on Monday.
A recent Belmont grad, this is Wheeler’s first major project.
“I’m a really big fan of her music, I have been for a while. She’s really inspiring to my songwriting,” said freshman songwriting major Lizzie Fish.
A crowd including many Belmont students and local artists trickled into the venue.
The first performer was Alina, a recent Belmont dropout.
Alina signed with Columbia Records in 2025 and has gained a following of over 700,000 TikTok users over the last three years. Several fans sang along to her songs.
She introduced “Lie Alone” with one of many blunt statements delivered with wide eyes and a chuckle, prompting laughs from the audience.
“This song is about being a guilty piece of sh-- in your relationship,” she said.
Alina smiled at two girls at the front of the audience as they filmed “Second Guessing.”
Attendees heaved their whole bodies to the pop-rock sound of her cover of “Everybody Talks” by Neon Trees.
“I’d never heard her music before but I was in awe of her the whole time. She was super energetic and very fun,” said freshman nursing major Lucy Eshelman.
She closed with the unreleased song “End of the World.” It started stripped and indie, rooted in electric guitar, and built into a loud rock song.
The venue was packed by the time Brooke Wheeler entered.
Almost everyone in the audience knew the lyrics to “Everything I’m Not,” the lead single of “frutigaze.”
“I actually am such a big fan of Brooke Wheeler, I listen to that EP like no one’s business,” said 19-year-old local musician Seth Garza.
She introduced bandmate Ryan Lavey during a song break.
“Ryan and I make all of my music together,” she said. “I really wanted to cover one of his songs.”
People danced as she covered his band Indiana Pickle Farm’s unreleased song “Oleander.”
She paused before introducing the next song.
“I’m gay and I’m Christian, which are two very contradictory things to be at the same time,” Wheeler said before playing “Dog Eared.”
She said a Bible verse from the book of Corinthians encouraged her to say “I love you” to her girlfriend for the first time.
Electric guitarist Kyle Clark mouthed to audience members that the next song would be by Justin Bieber.
Sure enough, Wheeler covered Bieber’s “That Should Be Me.” A group in the venue’s corner screamed along.
“I was immediately entranced by [Wheeler’s] vocals and I was totally shocked by the energy that she brought into the room,” said junior songwriting major Corryn Ruoto.
Listen to “frutigaze” by Brooke Wheeler here.
This article was written by Louise Geri
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