In what can only be described as a breakout year for Ella Langley, the 25-year-old singer-songwriter has captured the country music world’s attention—and the numbers prove it. With six nominations at the upcoming 60th Academy of Country Music Awards, including Female Artist of the Year and Song of the Year, Langley has made a seismic impact on Nashville’s next generation.
The emotional high point came in a heartfelt video message from country music icon Miranda Lambert, who surprised Langley with the news of her leading nominations. “You are my friend, first and foremost,” Lambert said. “We are gonna celebrate so big in Dallas, Texas! They ain’t even ready!”
Langley, visibly moved in a follow-up video filmed from her tour bus and wearing a “Cowboys Do It Better” tee, tearfully thanked her team. “Every day of my life I’ve prayed about this,” she said. “Literally everything I’ve ever done was to be able to do this.”
Her breakout single, “You Look Like You Love Me,” featuring Riley Green, has been the undeniable engine behind her ascent. A sultry, emotionally raw duet, the track topped Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, landed at No. 7 on Hot Country Songs, and even crossed over to No. 30 on the Billboard Hot 100. It’s currently nominated for Single of the Year, Song of the Year, Music Event of the Year, and Visual Media of the Year—with Langley receiving credit as both artist and songwriter, and as director of the music video.
Her debut album, hungover, made waves on its own, debuting at No. 11 on Top Country Albums and No. 49 on the Billboard 200. Langley co-wrote every song on the project, continuing a trend of deeply personal, self-driven artistry that fans have connected with deeply.
While this is her second and final year being eligible for the New Female Artist of the Year category, it’s clear Langley is already playing in a much bigger league. She joins the ranks of former winners like Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, and Taylor Swift, each of whom took home the award in back-to-back years between 2006 and 2008.
As the ACM Awards approach—streaming live on May 8 on Prime Video and the Amazon Music Twitch channel—all eyes will be on Langley. Whether she walks away with a trophy or not, she’s already proven she belongs in the conversation of country’s brightest new stars.
With a heart full of gratitude and a catalog built on grit, storytelling, and a touch of Southern fire, Ella Langley isn’t just breaking through—she’s breaking big.
