Ella Langley Stands Out as One of the Most-Nominated Artists at the 2025 CMA Awards
With a remarkable list of nominations heading into the 2025 CMA Awards, it was no surprise that Ella Langley also earned a performance slot during the live broadcast.
When the nominees were announced on September 8, Langley found herself tied at the very top with Lainey Wilson and Megan Moroney—each earning six nominations, the most of any artist this year.
Her nominations included:
New Artist of the Year
Music Video of the Year
Musical Event of the Year
Song of the Year
Single of the Year
Female Vocalist of the Year
Fans tuning in on November 19 saw exactly how many trophies she took home—and enjoyed a stunning live debut of her new track, “Choosin’ Texas.”
The Hilarious Backstory Behind “Choosin’ Texas” — With a Little Help From Miranda Lambert
Langley released “Choosin’ Texas” on October 17 alongside a visually striking lyric video. While the song itself is a slow, twang-filled tale of unrequited love, its origins are unexpectedly comedic.
The idea came directly from a wild story Miranda Lambert shared with Langley.
According to Langley, Lambert once described driving down a dirt road with a pet kangaroo in the backseat and her dog in the front, when she suddenly got pulled over.
“There was a lot going on,” Langley laughed. “The lady cop walks up, and of course Miranda’s thinking, ‘Great, and I’ve got Texas plates on the car.’”
That bizarre moment sparked something. Langley recalled humming a line on the way to the bathroom—
“She’s from Texas, I can tell by the way he’s two-steppin’ around the room…”
Lambert heard it, stopped her, and the song essentially wrote itself in about 30 minutes.
Ella Langley Delivers a Gorgeous Performance of “Choosin’ Texas” at the CMA Awards
Ahead of the ceremony, Langley teased what fans could expect from her performance. Speaking to Taste of Country, she said:
“There’s going to be some dancing. You’re going to feel the longing in the song — missing that person, whether it’s where they are or who they’re with.”
She added, “It’s just a good ol’ country song with some two-steppin’ in it.”
And she delivered exactly that.
Langley embraced the Texas feel with a red, fringed cowgirl-inspired outfit adorned with glittering stars. As she performed, two dancers at the front of the stage combined country swing and two-step choreography, bringing the story to life.
Fans already loved “Choosin’ Texas,” but after her CMA performance, the song’s popularity is bound to soar even higher.