Introduction
Ella Langley discussed her recent CMA Award win, revealing she found out in a van on the way to the red carpet when her team surprised her with the news. Her date to the awards was Aaron Raitiere, co-writer of her song “You Look Like You Love Me.” She performed the song at the show, sharing that although performing on TV is tough, she felt confident from having sung it so many times during a busy year of performing.
Langley shared her musical roots, growing up in Alabama with strong musical influences from her grandparents. She taught herself guitar after her grandfather passed away and began performing at a young age. After two years at Auburn University, she left college to pursue music full-time in Nashville, driven by a lifelong passion.
Her move to Nashville was a gradual process. She played numerous gigs and focused on improving her songwriting, especially lyrics. She emphasized the importance of patience and learning in the industry rather than rushing for fame, which she finds “weird” and challenging to navigate.
Langley reflected on building her band, early struggles with touring, and the emotional reward of seeing fans connect with her songs—especially during her first headlining tour. Songs like “If You Have To” and “You Look Like You Love Me” have deep personal meaning and have resonated with fans.
She described the unexpected journey of “You Look Like You Love Me,” which started as a fun song written for writers’ rounds and wasn’t originally intended for release. Her team pushed for it despite initial hesitation. Eventually, she recorded it as a duet with Riley Green. Even though there were internal debates about releasing it, early fan response—especially on TikTok—was overwhelmingly positive and helped solidify the decision.
Langley concluded by sharing how the song’s viral moment and performance opportunities (including at Red Rocks) helped define this exciting chapter in her career.
The artist talks about wanting their music to be a safe space where listeners can escape from the chaos of the world. They reflect on the joy of seeing fans emotionally connect with their songs during live shows, noting how meaningful it is to witness the impact their music has on others.
They express surprise and gratitude for their recent success, comparing it to watching someone else’s rise to fame and not fully realizing it’s happening to them. They acknowledge how difficult it is to recognize their own achievements objectively and describe how, after years of convincing others they could succeed, it’s now others who are convincing them.
The conversation touches on how certain songs pave the way for others and the lasting influence a powerful song can have. They mention the unexpected positive reaction to a collaboration with Riley Green, despite initial fears of backlash from his fans.
The artist opens up about the pressures of fame, the invasiveness of public curiosity—especially regarding personal relationships—and how they try to keep some parts of their life private. They stress the importance of giving public figures grace, as they’re still just people navigating new experiences.
Finally, they express appreciation for fan support, especially from women, and how empowering it feels to be embraced by their audience. They end on a positive note, encouraged by the support and validation they’ve received along the way.
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