Ella Langley

Ella Langley (born May 3, 1999, Hope Hull, Alabama, U.S.) is an American country singer and songwriter whose song “Choosin’ Texas” broke a record as the longest-running single to top the Billboard Hot 100, spending more than 25 nonconsecutive weeks at number one in 2026. A traditionalist-flavored track about unrequited love, the smash hit dominated the charts in several categories, was dubbed “the song of the summer,” and helped the Alabama-born Langley break numerous other industry records. Known for her heartfelt vocals and her story-centered songwriting, Langley has drawn comparisons with country-pop artists of the 1970s and ’80s.

Early life and influences

Langley is the second of four children born to Jason and Heather Langley. She was raised on her family’s farm in Hope Hull, a small town near Montgomery, Alabama. She was introduced to music at a young age, singing in church for the first time when she was three. The first songs she learned to sing were “Amazing Grace” and the folk song “Froggy Went a-Courtin’.” Langley was especially influenced by her paternal grandfather, who played piano and many other instruments. After he died in 2012, Langley inherited his guitar, which she taught herself to play, learning the chords for Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” within a day.

Among Langley’s other influences were Stevie Nicks and Miranda Lambert, whose 2009 hit “The House That Built Me” resonated with Langley when her family navigated a financial crisis. As she later told Rolling Stone magazine, “We lost our house to the bank the day after my 14th birthday. I heard that song for the first time around then. I was like, ‘Whoa, she’s singing about my life.’ ”

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After graduating from high school, Langley attended Auburn University and majored in forestry. By this time she was performing at weddings and in local bars and restaurants. In 2019 she dropped out of college to move to Nashville, a decision her parents supported. Langley later told the radio show Katie & Company, “My mom would always say, ‘This is your college. This is your schooling to move there.’ ”

“You Look Like You Love Me” and Hungover

In Nashville, Langley spent several years honing her songwriting skills and eventually garnered some attention with the singles “If You Have To” (2021) and “Country Boy’s Dream Girl” (2022).

Langley had a pivotal year in 2023. She made her debut at the Grand Ole Opry, signed with Columbia Records and Sony Music Nashville, and released the EP Excuse the Mess. In 2024 she topped those achievements, touring with country star Riley Green and collaborating with him on the spoken-verse barroom duet “You Look Like You Love Me.” The song went to number seven on the country chart and won the 2024 Country Music Association (CMA) Award for musical event of the year.

Also in 2024 Langley released her debut LP, Hungover. Anchored by “You Look Like You Love Me,” it featured songs about heartache, cowboys, and the honky-tonk lifestyle. Langley was nominated for new artist of the year and a host of other awards at the 2025 CMA Awards, and she won in three categories, including song of the year and single of the year.

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“Choosin’ Texas” and Dandelion

Langley next teamed up with her idol Miranda Lambert and songwriters Luke Dick and Joybeth Taylor to craft “Choosin’ Texas,” a song described by The New Yorker as “soft and easy, with the loose, broken-in feel of vintage denim.” It was released in the fall of 2025 as the lead single on her sophomore album, Dandelion (2026), which Lambert coproduced. The album received strong reviews, with some critics comparing Langley with classic country-pop artists Barbara Mandrell and Anne Murray. It also featured throwbacks to Langley’s earliest singing days: The first and last tracks are snippets of “Froggy Went a-Courtin’.”

“Choosin’ Texas” became a sensation. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Langley noted its universal appeal: “Everyone can relate to wanting something that doesn’t want you back, whether it be a relationship or a job.” Featuring a nostalgic, easy-listening vibe, lyrical nods to country legends Hank Williams and George Strait, and the hook “He’s choosin’ Texas, I can tell,” the single topped the country chart about a month after its release. In 2026 the song crossed over to the mainstream, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in February and then climbing back on top off and on into the summer.

By September the song had logged 23 weeks at number one, breaking a record previously set by Mariah Carey’s perennial holiday favorite “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Langley also made history as the first woman to top the Hot 100, Hot Country Songs, and Country Airplay charts at the same time.

In 2026 Langley was named female artist of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards, and she was nominated for nine CMA Awards, including entertainer of the year. She also recorded the duet “I Can’t Love You Anymore” with Morgan Wallen and collaborated with Lambert on “Snakeskin Boots,” which appears on Lambert’s album Crisco.