Ella Langley

Ella Langley was born Elizabeth Camille Langley on May 3, 1999, in Hope Hull, Alabama, a rural suburb of Montgomery, and grew up on a farm.⁠[1]

Her grandfather, who played several instruments, inspired her love of music. After his death she received his guitar and taught herself to play her first song, Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds.” As a child she often sang from a barn loft to roughly 200 cows below and sang at church services.⁠[1]

She attended Hooper Academy, where she performed in the school talent show, and played weddings, bars and restaurants in her free time.⁠[1]

After high school Langley studied forestry at Auburn University for two years while spending much of her time playing covers in bars and restaurants. She recalled: “I reached the point where I was like, ‘Nothing’s going to happen if I stay here.’” In 2019 she dropped out and moved to Nashville, Tennessee.⁠[1]

About six months after she arrived, the COVID-19 pandemic hit; she then concentrated on songwriting while paying her bills by playing cover gigs in Alabama and across the Southeast.⁠[2]

In September 2021 she posted a clip of herself singing “If You Have To” in a car on TikTok; it went viral, she released the song officially a few weeks later, and she secured her first publishing deal. In early 2022 she began opening for country singer Randy Houser and released the single “Country Boy’s Dream Girl” that year.⁠[1]

In February 2023 Langley made her debut at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry; a week later she signed her first major record deal, with Sony Music Nashville and Columbia Records. In May that year she released her first EP, Excuse the Mess.⁠[1]

In August 2024 she released her debut studio album, Hungover. Hours before the release she opened for Morgan Wallen in Kansas City, Missouri, her first stadium show.⁠[1][2]

She described the album as a record of her life from 20 to 25: “They’re all just journal entries.”⁠[2]

“You Look Like You Love Me,” her duet with Riley Green from the album, was written by the pair with Aaron Raitiere. In November 2024 it won Musical Event of the Year at the CMA Awards, and on BillboardBillboardBillboard is a music and entertainment magazine and media brand headquartered in Manhattan, New York City. Founded in 1894, it is known for music charts including the Billboard Hot 100, the Billboard 200, and the Billboard Global 200; it began as a trade publication for the billposting industry, shifted its focus to the music industry in the mid-20th century, and is now operated by Penske Media Corporation.Open the full entry’s Country Airplay chart dated December 14 it jumped from No. 7 to No. 1, her first No. 1 on that chart and the first by a woman in 2024, ending a 51-week stretch without a woman at the top.⁠[3][1]

She received eight nominations across six categories for the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards, more than any other performer, and won five trophies at the May ceremony, including New Female Artist of the Year and Visual Media of the Year.⁠[1]

In September 2025 she received six CMA Award nominations, including New Artist of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year, tying Lainey Wilson and Megan Moroney for the most; she went on to win three, including Song of the Year and Single of the Year for “You Look Like You Love Me.”⁠[1]

In October 2025 she released the single “Choosin’ Texas,” written with Luke Dick, Miranda Lambert and Joybeth Taylor and featuring Lambert on background vocals. It entered the Billboard Hot 100 on the chart dated November 1, 2025, her fifth career entry on the chart.⁠[1][4]

On the Billboard Hot 100 dated February 14, 2026, “Choosin’ Texas” reached No. 1 for the first time, her first lead hit to top the chart and the first single by a female artist to lead the Hot 100, Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay at once.⁠[5][1]

On April 10, 2026, she released Dandelion, her 18-track second studio album. It opened with 169,000 equivalent album units and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 dated April 25, her first No. 1 and first top 10 album and the largest week for a country album by a woman in two years.⁠[1][6]

In May 2026 she won seven trophies at the ACMAustralian Community MediaAustralian Community Media (ACM) is an Australian regional and rural news publishing group with more than 100 brands, including The Canberra Times; in 2019 Nine sold it to a company controlled by interests associated with Antony Catalano and Thorney Investment Group.Open the full entry Awards, a record for a single year, including Female Artist of the Year and Artist-Songwriter of the Year, Song and Single of the Year for “Choosin’ Texas,” and Music Event of the Year for “Don’t Mind If I Do” with Riley Green. Her duet with Morgan Wallen, “I Can’t Love You Anymore,” had peaked at No. 7 on the Hot 100 as of June 2026.⁠[1]

On the Billboard Hot 100 dated September 26, 2026, “Choosin’ Texas” logged its 23rd week at No. 1, surpassing Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” for the longest run atop the chart in its history. On the chart dated November 7 the record extended to a 26th week.⁠[4][5]

On the song’s reception she said: “I think this has been the biggest moment for me, where I’ve seen where fans can change your career.”⁠[4]

Personal website: https://www.ellalangley.com/ (opens in a new window).⁠[7]

X: Public account: https://x.com/ellalangleymsic (opens in a new window).⁠[7]