Ella Langley leads the 2026 CMA Awards with nine nominations. The country singer from Alabama will also perform on the night. She is 27, and her rise has been fast.
Her song Choosin' Texas topped the Billboard Hot 100 and broke records. Her second album Dandelion reached number one in the United States. This profile answers the big questions about her, from small-town Alabama to the biggest country stage. You will also find her age, her songs, her awards, and her tour news.
Who Is Ella Langley?
Ella Langley is an American country singer and songwriter from Hope Hull, Alabama. She was born Elizabeth Camille Langley on 3 May 1999, and she is 27. She moved to Nashville in 2019. Her hit Choosin' Texas made her the first woman to top three Billboard charts at once.
Her full name is Elizabeth Camille Langley, and she signs her songs as Ella. She grew up in a musical family with two brothers and a sister. Hope Hull is a small rural town near Montgomery. Music filled her home from the start.
Today she is known for plain-spoken songs about love, pride, and home. Her voice mixes classic country with a rock edge. Fans know her best for Choosin' Texas and her duet with Riley Green. That is why fans keep asking about her.
The Short Version
- Born 3 May 1999 in Hope Hull, Alabama; 27 years old.
- Moved to Nashville in 2019 after two years at Auburn University.
- Breakthrough duet You Look Like You Love Me with Riley Green in 2024.
- Dandelion topped the Billboard 200 in April 2026; Choosin' Texas topped the Hot 100.
- Leads the 2026 CMA Awards with nine nominations; show airs 18 November 2026.
Age and Early Life in Alabama
Ella Langley was born on 3 May 1999, so she is 27. She grew up in Hope Hull, a small town south of Montgomery. Her parents are Jason and Heather Langley, and she has three siblings. Thomas, Stuart, and Katie grew up with her in a home full of music.
Her grandfather played several instruments and led family music nights. After he died, she took his guitar and taught herself to play. One of the first songs she learned was Three Little Birds by Bob Marley.
As a child she sang in church and at school talent shows. She also sang to the cows on the family farm, her first true crowd. The family lost their house to the bank the day after her 14th birthday.
How She Found Her Sound
Ella went to Hooper Academy, a small school near her home. Her class had only 32 pupils, so most faces were known to her. She played weddings, bars, and small rooms while still at school. Long cover sets taught her how to hold a room.
At 16 she put out her first single, the country-pop song First Kiss. She wrote her first full song, Clear the Clouds, in 2017. She shared it on YouTube the same year. Her taste ran wide, from Merle Haggard to Pearl Jam and the Grateful Dead.
She spent two years at Auburn University and studied forestry. Music kept pulling her back, so she left in late 2019. She moved to Nashville at 20 with a clear aim: write songs for a living. Our guide on how to become a singer sets out those first steps.
The Breakthrough Song and Her First Album
Nashville gave Ella a fresh start, then the pandemic shut live music down. She used the quiet months to write, and her songs read like a diary. She made her Grand Ole Opry debut in February 2023. That same month she signed with Columbia Records and Sony Music Nashville.
Her eight-song EP Excuse the Mess came out in May 2023. Her first album hungover followed on 2 August 2024. It showed a singer who could be funny, bruised, and bold in one song.
The big moment came with You Look Like You Love Me, her duet with Riley Green. Its spoken lines and old-school charm stood out at once. The song reached the top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100. It became her first country radio number one and won at the 2024 CMA Awards.
Dandelion and the Choosin' Texas Record Run
Ella announced her second album Dandelion on 27 January 2026. It came out on 10 April 2026. It went straight to number one on the Billboard 200. Miranda Lambert helped produce the record and sings on Butterfly Season.
The lead single was Choosin' Texas, a slow country song about lost love. She wrote it with Lambert, Joybeth Taylor, and Luke Dick. The idea came from a tale Lambert told about a kangaroo and a traffic stop. One line from that tale gave the song its hook.
In February 2026 the song topped three Billboard charts at once. No woman had done that before. It set the record for the longest Hot 100 run by a female country artist.
Six Number Ones in 99 Weeks
Loving Life Again gave Ella her sixth country radio number one in October 2026. She wrote it with ERNEST and Devin Dawson. It went to radio on 13 July 2026. The song hit number one on the chart dated 31 October 2026.
She reached six number ones in just 99 weeks from her first. No woman had ever moved that fast in the chart's 36-year history. Only Jelly Roll at 96 weeks and Alan Jackson at 94 weeks were quicker.
The same song was the fourth number one from Dandelion. That put her with Shania Twain, who had six number ones from one album in 1995. She is one of only four acts with four country radio number ones in one year.
| Measure | Number |
|---|---|
| CMA nominations in 2026 | 9 |
| ACM Awards won in 2026 | 7 |
| Country radio number ones | 6 |
| Weeks to reach six number ones | 99 |
| Studio albums | 2 |
| Billboard 200 number one albums | 1 |
At the 2026 CMA Awards
Ella leads the 2026 CMA Awards with nine nominations, more than any other artist. The list includes Entertainer of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year. The show airs on Wednesday 18 November 2026 from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. It will be shown live on ABC and Disney+, and on Hulu the next day.
Lainey Wilson hosts the show for the third year in a row. Ella is also set to perform, with Tim McGraw and Kacey Musgraves on the bill. A tribute to the late Dolly Parton is planned for the night as well.
The Dandelion Tour and Life on Stage
Ella kicked off her first headlining arena tour, the Dandelion Tour, on 7 May 2026. The run began in Toledo, Ohio, and she calls the live show her top dream. She also played big dates with Morgan Wallen and Eric Church in 2026. Her stage style mixes rock swagger with classic country dress.
In August 2025 she paused the rest of her tour dates for health reasons. She cited illness and fatigue at the time. She came back in 2026 with a new album and a full tour.
What She Sounds Like
Ella sings plain country with a rock edge and a clear Southern voice. Her songs tell small true stories about love, pride, and home. She writes like she talks, with lines that land fast and stay with you. That plain style is why fans trust her songs.
Stevie Nicks and Jessi Colter shaped her sound and her nerve. She also learned from Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Miranda Lambert. Her Dandelion cover of Kitty Wells shows her deep country roots.
New fans often start with Choosin' Texas. The song shows her gift in one place. It pairs a plain tale with a strong hook and a warm voice.
What Comes Next
The CMA Awards on 18 November will show how far she has come in one year. Nine nominations put her at the top of the night. Her next aims are clear: Saturday Night Live, sold-out stadiums, and acting. She has said she wants to host the show one day, not just sing on it.
Ella joins the fast-rising stars in our Celebrity profiles. Read Nara Smith, Whitney Leavitt, and Jenna Johnson next. Our guide on how to become famous shows the first steps behind such a rise. Watch the CMA Awards on 18 November, then come back for the results.
FAQs
Who is Ella Langley?
Ella Langley is a 27-year-old country singer from Hope Hull, Alabama. She leads the 2026 CMA Awards with nine nominations. Her album Dandelion topped the Billboard 200 in April 2026. She is on her first headlining arena tour this year.
How old is she?
She is 27. She was born on 3 May 1999 in Hope Hull, Alabama. She turned 27 in May 2026, just as her Dandelion Tour began. Her birthday falls in the first week of May each year.
What is her biggest song?
Her biggest song is Choosin' Texas, the lead single from Dandelion. It topped the Hot 100, Hot Country Songs, and Country Airplay at the same time. No woman had done that before. New fans meet her first through this song.
How many CMA nominations does she have?
She has nine nominations at the 2026 CMA Awards. That is more than any other artist this year. Her nods include Entertainer of the Year and Female Vocalist of the Year. The show airs on 18 November 2026 from Nashville.
Is Ella Langley touring in 2026?
Yes, she is headlining her first arena tour, the Dandelion Tour. It began on 7 May 2026 in Toledo, Ohio. She also played big dates with Morgan Wallen and Eric Church this year.
How many albums does she have?
She has two studio albums. Her debut hungover came out in August 2024. Her second album Dandelion came out on 10 April 2026. It topped the Billboard 200 in its first week.