To no one’s surprise, Ella Langley absolutely dominated this year’s 61st annual Academy of Country Music Awards.
Within just the first half of the night at MGM Grand Arena, the Alabama native swept the floor, winning both Single and Song of the Year with her smash hit “Choosin’ Texas,” followed by claiming the award for Music Event of the Year alongside duet partner Riley Green with “Don’t Mind If I Do,” and of course, her previously announced win as the Artist-Songwriter of the Year. Continuing her hot streak as 2026’s leading lady in country music and beyond, Langley stepped on the stage with an absolutely ethereal performance of her other chart topper, “Be Her.”
Maintaining its number two spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Langley gave the earworm a fresh spotlight, turning the notch down on its groovy beat and shining with just her vocals, an acoustic guitar accompaniment, and the soft melodies from her bandmate. The song’s yearning lyrics– centered on wanting to be like another woman, which Langley has previously said were inspired by her mother– were amplified in this stripped-down rendition, bringing a much more emotional sound to the track.
Langley’s unmatched vocals in this unexpected ballad rendition are even more impressive considering she had already rushed to the stage three times throughout the night to accept awards, with all of that excitement still probably coursing through her veins. As country music’s firecracker continues out on her headlining 2026 Dandelion tour throughout the rest of the summer, this take on the track, co-written alongside Hardy, Jordan Schmidt, and Smith Ahnquist, is basically begging to become a permanent addition to her shows.
Following the captivating moment, Langley was absolutely stunned at her night-capper award as Female Artist of the Year. Visibly taking her by surprise with audible sobs choking her up at the mic, Langley pushed through her tears after a few moments of staring into the erupting crowd before finally managing to say, “I’m trying to get to say something, but I can’t. Thank you.”
With five awards on the night and seven ACM wins overall, Langley topped the winners board and officially became the artist with the most wins in a single night in ACM history. For all of the Langley-deniers out there who think her sweep an unfair pull, this performance is all the proof needed to show why her massive night was well earned.
Tour Dates:
- 6/18 – Oklahoma City, OK Zoo Amphitheatre (+,&)
- 6/19 – Independence, MO Cable Dahmer Arena (+,&)
- 6/25 – Salem, VA Salem Civic Center (+,&)
- 6/26 – Wilmington, NC Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park (+,&)
- 7/23 – Pikeville, KY Appalachian Wireless Arena (#, %)
- 7/24 – Cary, NC Koka Booth Amphitheatre (#, %)
- 7/25 – North Charleston, SC North Charleston Coliseum (#, %)
- 7/30 – Gilford, NH BankNH Pavilion (@, %)
- 7/31 – Canandaigua, NY CMAC (@, %)
- 8/13 – Austin, TX Moody Center (#, &)
- 8/14 – Corpus Christi, TX Hilliard Center (#, &)
- 8/15 – Fort Worth, TX Dickies Arena (#, &)
- Support Acts
- @ Kameron Marlowe
- + Dylan Marlowe
- # Kaitlin Butts
- & Gabriella Rose
- % Laci Kaye Booth