Introduction:
Ella Langley Reflects On Her Journey, Collaborates With Miranda Lambert, And Prepares To Honor Her Alabama Roots
Ella Langley has had a career-defining year — one that many artists dream of. The Alabama native earned her first No. 1 hit with “You Look Like You Love Me” featuring Riley Green, expanded her fan base nationwide, and checked off a major bucket list goal: writing a song with Miranda Lambert.
While Langley’s rise may appear sudden to new listeners, her journey to this moment has been years in the making. Appearing on a recent episode of the God’s Country podcast, Langley opened up about her musical upbringing, her move to Nashville, and the lessons she’s learned along the way.
Langley’s father joined her on the podcast and shared that she showed confidence in her singing from a young age. “This has been the plan for me my whole life,” Langley confirmed, recalling family reunions filled with music. “My grandpa could sing and play every instrument by ear. Music has always been part of who we are.”
Her grandparents played a pivotal role in nurturing that early talent, often spending days teaching her new songs and encouraging her to perform. Before long, Langley began sharing her voice at church and local events across Alabama.
After high school, she enrolled at Auburn University, balancing classes with nightly bar gigs around the Southeast. But by age 20, burnout set in — and she made a life-changing decision. “I called my parents and said, ‘I think I want to drop out and move to Nashville,’” Langley recalled. “I knew I’d end up there eventually, so I just started early.”
Now, five years after that leap of faith, Langley says she’s built a new family in Music City — one made up of fellow dreamers who keep her grounded. “It’s been a cool journey finding those people who believe in me and who I believe in too,” she said. “Nobody in my family ever doubted that this is what I was meant to do.”
Among those closest to her is fellow Alabama songwriter Joybeth Taylor, who has become both a collaborator and a friend. The pair once sat on a back porch dreaming about their future goals — one of which was to write with country superstar Miranda Lambert. “I told Joybeth, ‘I bet you and I will do that together one day,’” Langley said. “And it just happened two weeks ago.”
With her breakout success and major collaboration achieved, Langley is now focused on her next album, which she says will pay tribute to her Alabama roots. “I already have the title, the creative vision, and even the video concept,” she teased. “This time, I want to show more of who Ella Langley really is — not just the artist, but the person.”
Citing influences like Ronnie Milsap and George Jones, Langley says the project will offer a more traditional, soulful sound. “This record will be better because now I know what I want,” she explained.
Fans won’t have to wait long to see her live. Langley’s sold-out Still Hungover Tour resumes January 23 and runs through April. She’ll also rejoin Riley Green on his Damn Country Music Tour later in the year — proving that Ella Langley’s journey from Alabama to Nashville is only just getting started.