Langley's Record-Breaking Rise
Ella Langley Achieves Breakthrough with Record-Breaking 'Choosin' Texas,' Cementing Country Music It Girl Status
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Ella Langley became country music's defining star of 2026 when "Choosin' Texas" spent its 11th non-consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on June 30, breaking a 49-year-old record for a female country artist previously held by Debby Boone, according to Billboard. The Alabama-born singer also became the first female country artist to top the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Country Songs, and Country Airplay charts at the same time, per Taste of Country.
Her sophomore album *Dandelion* debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 169,000 units sold in its first week, Pulse Music Board reported. She now pulls in more than 30 million monthly listeners on Spotify, making her the second most-streamed country artist in the world behind only Morgan Wallen, according to Parade.
From Auburn Dropout to Nashville Breakthrough
Langley studied Forestry at Auburn University from 2017 to 2019 before dropping out and moving to Nashville to chase music. Her early years were spent writing songs and building a following. Then, on June 21, 2024, she released the spoken-word duet "you look like you love me" with Riley Green. The song debuted at No. 53 on the Billboard Hot 100 and climbed all the way to No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart, according to Taste of Country.
The duet drew comparisons to Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers and revived interest in the spoken-word country style popular in the 1970s and 1990s. Her debut album *hungover* followed on August 2, 2024, cementing her "outlaw-adjacent" brand. Both "you look like you love me" and follow-up duet "Don't Mind If I Do" with Green have since reached 4x Platinum certification, per Taste of Country.
A Sudden Hiatus and a Record-Breaking Comeback
At the height of her fame in August 2025, Langley stepped away from music and social media. She cited burnout and "imposter syndrome" as reasons, saying she needed to "go home and spend time with family and Jesus," according to Wide Open Country. Many in the industry were surprised. Some skeptics privately called it a "PR-managed reset" designed to build buzz, per general industry discourse tracked by Taste of Country.
Her return on October 17, 2025 silenced the doubters. "Choosin' Texas," co-written and produced with Miranda Lambert, became an instant phenomenon. Lambert called the track an "instant classic," according to Wikipedia. Critics noted the song gave Langley a solo identity separate from her duet work with Green — a key step in proving her "It Girl" status stood on its own, ABC News reported.
Miranda Lambert, ACM Awards, and Critical Praise
Langley won New Female Artist at the ACM Awards in 2025, then followed it with Female Artist of the Year in 2026, according to the Academy of Country Music. *Daily Variety* named *Dandelion* one of the best albums of 2026. Critic Chris W. wrote, "Welcome to the celestial pantheon of modern country masters, Ella." Taste of Country ranked her No. 7 on its "25 Most Important Modern Country Artists" list, citing charts, streaming numbers, ticket sales, and perceived influence.
Not everyone is fully convinced. Some critics on Reddit's r/popheads argued that "Choosin' Texas" owed its longevity more to heavy iHeartRadio rotation than organic listener demand, calling the song "generic" compared to other long-running No. 1 hits. Still, her follow-up single "Be Her" has already reached No. 1 on Country Airplay, suggesting the momentum is real, ABC News reported.
Touring, Streaming, and What Comes Next
Langley is currently one of the highest-grossing touring acts of 2026. She joined Morgan Wallen's *Still the Problem Tour* and is headlining her own arena dates, according to Parade. Her success has pushed Nashville labels to scout for more traditional and spoken-word lyricists, shifting the industry away from the pop-country "snap-track" sound that dominated the previous decade.
Langley summed up her rise simply. "If you have a passion... trust yourself, because it is the coolest thing to wake up and do what you love every day," she said, per Country Countdown USA. With "Be Her" climbing the charts and *Dandelion* still selling, analysts expect her to remain a top-of-chart force through the 2027 award season, ABC News reported.
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