Ella Langley Reflects on Her Breakout Year and the Impact of “You Look Like You Love Me”
2024 marked a turning point for Ella Langley, whose viral duet “You Look Like You Love Me” with Riley Green catapulted her career to new heights. The song topped the Billboard Country Airplay chart, earned platinum certification from the RIAA for over a million units sold, and won Musical Event of the Year at the 58th CMA Awards — cementing Langley as one of country music’s fastest-rising stars.
“I Thought I’d Just Play It Around the Bonfire”
During the Cycle of a Song panel at the 2025 Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, Langley opened up about the unexpected success of the song she co-wrote with Riley Green and Aaron Raitiere.
“I remember walking out of the room thinking, no one’s going to understand this song, and I’m going to play it around the bonfire. And that’s probably going to be it,” she said. “You never know what a song’s going to do until it comes out, but what this one has done — it’s hard to predict. It’s one of the most organic things that’s ever happened to me as an artist and a songwriter.”
Pushing Boundaries with “Sing-Talking”
“You Look Like You Love Me” stands out in part because of Langley’s decision to sing-talk some of the verses — a stylistic risk that initially drew skepticism from some in her camp. The technique hadn’t been widely used in country music since “an old David Allan Coe song,” she joked.
But Langley wasn’t afraid to take the chance.
“I’m kind of a pessimist by nature,” she laughed. “I literally think everything is going to crash and burn. So when something goes this well, pure shock is my reaction.”
Ultimately, her bold choice paid off. The conversational verses gave the song its distinctive edge — and fans couldn’t get enough.
“Country music is about telling good stories,” she explained. “And I think the fans want to hear a good story. The reason this song did what it did is because the fans took it and felt ownership over it. I mean, I couldn’t get on my TikTok without hearing it. Dogs were singing it, horses were singing it — it was everywhere.”
Navigating the “Dark Side” of Social Media
While Langley’s online following helped fuel her rise, she admitted that fame on social media comes with challenges.
“Along with a lot of greatness in this job, there is a dark side to it,” she said. “It’s weird to go online and see your life displayed in front of you — or what people think your life is like. My dad will call and say, ‘Ella, is this real?’ And I’m like, ‘No, Dad, don’t believe everything you read.’”
Though she acknowledges that criticism is “part of the job,” Langley admits she’s still learning how to tune out negativity.
“It’s a work in progress,” she said. “But I grew up in a small town — you can’t really say much to hurt my feelings at this point. You get thick skin that way. Some people have a sh***y boss. I’m my own boss. I get weird comments sometimes, but then I just grab my Kindle and read books.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
Despite the occasional online noise, Langley is aware that she’s become a role model for young women in country music — something she’s still wrapping her head around.
“It feels crazy to think anyone wants to be like me,” she said. “I still walk up to so many women I admire — like Miranda Lambert and Lainey Wilson — and they’ve all been so kind and supportive. They’ll tell me, ‘This is just part of life, baby,’ and I try to pass that on when I can.”
From Opening Act to Headliner
For Langley, the biggest reward has been watching how the song has changed her live shows.
“I’ve been doing this a long time — opening for other artists, playing anywhere I could. Seeing the shows sold out now, seeing fans turn to each other and sing ‘You Look Like You Love Me’ — that’s what it’s all about,” she said. “The girls are singing to each other, the guys are grinning, everyone’s part of it. It’s crazy to see how far it’s come.”
With humility, humor, and a fearless approach to storytelling, Ella Langley has proven she’s far more than a one-hit wonder — she’s a new voice of modern country, unafraid to take risks and tell her story her way.