Ella Langley Opens Up About Music, Tattoos, and Rumors on The Bobby Bones Show
With her second No. 1 song “Weren’t For The Wind” climbing the charts, Ella Langley stopped by The Bobby Bones Show to reflect on her journey—from small-town beginnings to sharing the stage with some of country music’s biggest names.
A Musical Spark from Childhood
Langley’s love for music started early, thanks to her grandmother enrolling her in piano lessons. But even as a kid, she resisted reading sheet music, preferring to play by ear. The teacher told her she was too young to learn that way, so her grandma pulled her out—something Langley now calls her biggest regret.
At 13, after her grandfather passed away, she picked up his guitar and never looked back. Her musical roots also run deep in the church and family—her cousin once made her sing after dentist appointments!
From Alabama Bars to Nashville Grit
After high school, Langley joined a band and began performing in bars across Alabama while attending Auburn University. Two years in, she dropped out and moved to Nashville, living with three fellow Alabama musicians in what she described as “basically a frat house”—something her dad didn’t exactly approve of.
Langley worked briefly at a trampoline park in high school, but music has always paid her bills. She played countless cover gigs, with “Here for the Party” by Gretchen Wilson becoming her favorite to perform. Though based in Nashville, she’s only played on Broadway once, filling in for a friend.
Sticking to Her Guns on Stage
Her first tour came with Randy Houser, performing mostly covers. And while many artists now use live auto-tune during performances, Langley is adamantly against it. She believes fans deserve the real, raw version—imperfections, breathlessness and all.
She explained, “That’s what makes a live show exciting. I’m human. I’m going to mess up. That’s part of it.”
Advice from Country Legends
Langley turns to Miranda Lambert for guidance, admiring how she stays true to herself and follows her instincts. She’s also had chats with Morgan Wallen, who offered advice during their time touring together. Their bands have become close over the years.
Langley’s a fan of Kaitlin Butts, too—especially after Butts praised her in a viral video. They’ve since connected, with Langley encouraging and uplifting other female artists as she rises.
Owning Her Role in Country’s Next Generation
While listening to “Somethin’ Bad” by Lambert and Carrie Underwood, Langley had a moment of clarity: she’s becoming part of country music’s next wave, and she takes that seriously. Lately, she’s been writing more intentionally, though less frequently due to her hectic schedule.
Langley prefers writing sessions with others, as it helps her break out of her own head and visualize the song like a scene from a movie. Some songs hit her emotionally the moment she writes them, others reveal their weight later. “Girl You’re Taking Home” is one that resonates more deeply now than when she first penned it.
Family, Fame, and Facebook Drama
Despite being proud of her, Langley’s parents are still adjusting to her success. Her dad, especially, questioned when it would all pay off—until now. These days, Langley enjoys being able to give back to her loved ones and speak openly about what matters to her.
But her dad wasn’t thrilled about her tattoos—especially the first one, a Treble Clef, which came with ironic timing since she still can’t read music. She got it at 18 and braced herself for a serious scolding.
He’s also been caught off-guard by internet drama, especially Facebook rumors. Langley laughed it off, saying only about “10% of it is true” and that most of it is wild fan fiction. “More people got worked up than we did,” she added.