Ally Brooke Says Migraines Once Nearly Forced Her to Cancel a Concert: 'It Was Pretty Terrible'

SHAI FRANCO PHOTOGRAPHER Ally Brooke

Fans know Ally Brooke's journey from auditioning for The X Factor and scoring hits as part of Fifth Harmony to finding success as a solo artist, actress and author. However, most of them probably don't know she's endured migraines throughout her career.

"I began dealing with them at such a young age, and it has really affected and impacted me every day," Brooke tells PEOPLE, noting that the debilitating disease once nearly forced her to cancel a performance in Miami. "I felt an attack, and it was pretty terrible. But at that time, I had no option. I really had to push through, and it was nauseating, but you know what? I went out there, and I did my thing."

After utilizing at-home remedies like sitting in a dark room with a wet towel to little success, the 29-year-old pop star is partnering with Nurtec ODT, which she currently takes to relieve the pain caused by migraines.

"It just changed everything for me, and I can just do what I love without fear," says Brooke, who's spent time figuring out exactly what triggers her intense headaches. "For me, it's stress and lack of sleep. So, whenever I know I'm having a hectic schedule, I'll be able to use it as a preventative. Or if [the migraine] does strike, I can take it."

SHAI FRANCO PHOTOGRAPHER Ally Brooke

Part of Brooke's inspiration for speaking publicly about her migraine experience is that Latinx individuals are 50% less likely to receive a prescription to treat the condition than non-Hispanic white patients. "It's real, and it affects our community," she says. "For me to be able to empower my community is really, really, really great."

Raising awareness about migraines isn't the only way Brooke's been connecting to her heritage as of late. Last year, she announced an official pivot to Spanish-language music and has since released several singles including "Por Ti," "Tequila" and "Yo Estaré" with Santana.

RELATED: Ally Brooke Feels 'Fully Myself' as She Works on Debut Spanish Music: 'This Is Totally Me'

Despite the fact that English is the Texas native's first language, creating music in Spanish feels like home to Brooke. "I've been singing [in Spanish] since I was young... It's something that I love," she gushes. "I love who I'm creating with. I love everything about what I'm doing, really. I'm just so happy, and it's been such a wondrous thing to be so free in what I'm doing."

Over four years since Fifth Harmony announced the group was going on an indefinite hiatus, Brooke is finally gearing up for the release of her forthcoming debut album. "I am almost finished with it. It's been a long time," she says. "There's so much included in what I'm speaking about [on the album]. It's very empowering, and it reflects where I am at the moment."

While she's tight-lipped on details, Brooke says the upcoming body of work includes "a lot" of "pretty huge" featured collaborators. Considering she's already worked alongside the likes of Missy Elliott and Pitbull with Fifth Harmony as well as Afrojack and Santana on solo music, she's bound to be teasing big names. "I'm keeping it a secret," she quips with a smirk.

Brooke's comments about the forthcoming album, which she's nearly finished with, arrive just a few months after she and fellow former Fifth Harmony members Normani, Camila Cabello, Lauren Jauregui and Dinah Jane celebrated the 10th anniversary of the group's formation on The X Factor via social media. "I'm proud of my part and beyond grateful," wrote Brooke on July 27.

RELATED: Ally Brooke Reveals She Faced 'Mental and Verbal Abuse' in Fifth Harmony — It 'Was Traumatizing'

The commemorative post marked Brooke's first public statement about Fifth Harmony since saying she underwent "mental and verbal abuse" in the group during an episode of The Ally Brooke Show last year — a topic she also wrote about in her 2021 memoir, Finding Your Harmony. "It was hard because there was so much going on. So much behind the scenes, so much toxicity, so much abuse," she said on her podcast at the time, "and it's just horrible, and to me, it's a shame because we were so big. I should have enjoyed myself more."

Since reflecting on low moments she experienced while in the "Worth It" group, Brooke now looks back on the experience with positivity. "Of course, there were ups and there were downs, and I was open about that. But ultimately, it was amazing," she tells PEOPLE. "I'm so beyond proud and just grateful for it. I really am."

SHAI FRANCO PHOTOGRAPHER Ally Brooke

In addition to working hard on solo music, Brooke recently found time to foray into acting with her debut film role in 2021's High Expectations alongside Kelsey Grammer — an endeavor she hopes to continue. "I loved, in a different way, being in front of the camera and playing a character that's not my own. I would love to do so much more in the movie industry," she says. "A musical would be in my dreams."

Looking back from where she is today, flourishing in several sectors of the entertainment industry and successfully managing her migraines, what would Brooke tell her young self, standing in line to audition for The X Factor?

"I would say, 'Hold on,'" she says. "'You're about to go on the ride of your life. There's so much ahead, and you're going to meet some people that'll change everything for you.'"