“NASHVILLE STANDS STILL! Ella Langley Just Reminded Nashville What REAL Country Storytelling Feels Like with Her Explosive CMA Debut ‘Choosin’ Texas’ That Tore Through Hearts and Shattered Every Expectation!! Last night was nothing short of a revelation. Ella Langley took the CMA stage by storm, delivering a performance so raw, so gut-wrenchingly honest, it reminded everyone what real country storytelling truly feels like. From the moment she opened with the haunting line, “He’s choosin’ Texas, I can tell,” the arena was gripped by a wave of emotion that could be felt deep in every soul. Beneath the glow of the massive Texas star and surrounded by twirling two-steppers, Ella’s voice cracked with the kind of aching truth only lived experience can bring. Her guitar’s ringing confession wasn’t just music — it was a wound laid bare, an old story told new, and a powerful reminder that country music’s heart beats strongest when it’s real, raw, and unfiltered. Fans were hypnotized, critics stunned, and social media exploded with praise as Ella proved she’s not just a rising star — she’s a force reshaping the very soul of Nashville. This was more than a performance. It was a masterclass in storytelling, a fiery declaration that the spirit of true country music is alive and burning brighter than ever. WATCH BELOW👇👇👇 to feel every aching note and unforgettable second.
A couple danced in front of the stage, which evoked the Texas flag with its design
Ella Langley is all about intuition (and some good dancin’) on “Choosin’ Texas.” On Wednesday night, the country star performed her latest single — a pointed ballad about her man’s new girl from the Lone Star State — at the 2025 CMA Awards, backed by a starry backdrop.
After winning a trio of awards for “You Look Like You Love Me” earlier in the night, Langley returned to the stage to soundtrack a two-stepping couple, evoking the Texas flag with her set design. She performed in front of a giant red star, strumming her guitar in red pants adorned with silver stars down the sides. “It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see / A cowboy always finds a way to leave,” she sang. “Drinkin’ Jack all by myself / He’s choosin’ Texas, I can tell.”
Langley dropped “Choosin’ Texas” — co-written with Miranda Lambert, who waved a Texas flag from the crowd — in mid-October as part of the rollout for her upcoming project, the follow-up to her Hungover album. She most recently wrapped her Still Hungover Tour last week, and joined Luke Bryan for a holiday duet of “Winter Wonderland.”“There’s going to be some dancing,” she teased about the performance in an interview with Music Mayhem. “You’re going to feel the longing the song describes, missing that person, whether it’s where they’re living or who they want to be with. It’s just a good ol’ country song with some two-steppin’ in it.”“There’s going to be some dancing,” she teased about the performance in an interview with Music Mayhem. “You’re going to feel the longing the song describes, missing that person, whether it’s where they’re living or who they want to be with. It’s just a good ol’ country song with some two-steppin’ in it.”
A different Green duet, “Don’t Mind If I Do,” earned her a nod for Musical Event of the Year. That’s the same award she won with Green last year for “You Look Like You Love Me.” (They also performed a classic country duet.)
Along with Langley, Luke Combs, Riley Green, Megan Moroney, Kelsea Ballerini, Zach Top, Old Dominion, and BigXThaPlug are also scheduled to perform at this year’s awards show. Lainey Wilson is hosting the CMA Awards from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
