Ella Langley is an unstoppable force in country music right now.
With her chart-topping hit “Choosin’ Texas” dominating every platform and her captivating new single “Dandelion” quickly shaping up to be the song of the summer, Langley has officially reached household-name status. As she ushers in a new era with the release of her full album, Dandelion, on April 10, her rise to untapped stardom feels inevitable.
Past hits like “Country Boy’s Dream Girl” and “Weren’t for the Wind” helped cement the Alabama native as a rising star to watch. Now, she’s taking things even further as she prepares for her first-ever headlining arena tour. For Langley fans (aka every sane person with good taste), there’s plenty to be excited about as she enters this flouncy, healing era.
Still, for casual listeners who’ve only recently jumped on the “Choosin’ Texas” train, there’s a long line of Langley history worth exploring. The now 26-year-old singer-songwriter recorded her first track, “Clear the Clouds,” in August 2017, though her first official release, “If You Have To,” didn’t arrive until November 2021. Since then, she has released two albums (not including the deluxe version of Hungover), and her artistic growth has been nothing short of remarkable.
With that being said, Langley started really making a name for herself through her standout duets with Riley Green on “You Look Like You Love Me” and “Don’t Mind If I Do.” Of course, we can’t forget about her electric 2023 collaboration with Koe Wetzel, “That’s Why We Fight,” and 2024’s underrated single with Kameron Marlowe, “Strangers.” In 2025, she continued to expand her collaborative resume, teaming up with BigXthaPlug (“Hell at Night”), Hardy (“Never Met Anyone Like You”), and Luke Bryan (“Winter Wonderland”).
Arguably, however, one of her best and most underrated collaborations came out in December 2023 with “Come Back Down” singer Tanner Usrey. Just a few months after releasing her debut album, Excuse The Mess, Langley joined Usrey on a duet for his single, “Beautiful Lies.”
Originally written and released by Usrey in 2019, the song went through several iterations before finding its way to Langley. He initially released a live duet version with Graycie York in April 2022. Then, as part of his 2023 album Crossing Lines, Langley officially joined the track, creating what has since become a staple in both artists’ discographies. In the highly underrated 15-track album, Usrey includes both Langley’s duet and his solo recording of “Beautiful Lies” as well as some of his most popular songs such as “Take Me Home” and “Give It Some Time.”
Now nearing eight million streams on Spotify, “Beautiful Lies” stands as an acoustic masterpiece, beautifully elevated by Langley’s vocals. She doesn’t enter until the second verse, where Usrey’s harmonies follow, blending seamlessly with her signature twang.
In all of its three minutes and 52 seconds, the song is best enjoyed while staring longingly into the distance, fully soaking in the heartbreak (no matter your current mood). It captures the bittersweet anticipation of an inevitable end to a relationship, exploring the emotional tug-of-war between holding on and letting go.
The Texas native’s impeccable songwriting skills shine through with the opening line detailing this moment of disconnection, “I’d steal the moon from the stars, just to get to where you are, but it seems these days, you’re so damn far away, and I know everything has changed.” While the song is heartwrenching enough as a solo track, Langley and Usrey’s shared storytelling adds new depth, painting an even more vivid picture of this treacherous emotional experience.
The chorus details this internal battle of knowing what’s coming but not fully accepting it: “Tell me what I need to hear, Wrap me up with your beautiful lies. And I know you’re leavin’, Yeah, you’re standin’ at that door. And I can see the heartbreak in your eyes, so keep on tellin’ me those beautiful lies.”
As we patiently wait another 9 weeks until Dandelion drops, there’s a phenomenal stripped-down live performance of “Beautiful Lies” on YouTube that deserves to be watched on repeat. Featuring a pre-bangs Ella Langley, she, Usrey, and his guitar deliver a haunting performance. Usrey, whose unbeatable voice shines through in this performance, has since released the Deluxe version of Crossing Lines, his 2025 album, These Days, and was featured on a ZZ-top-esque track, “Blackberry Wine” from the 2024 Twisters movie. Likewise, Langley’s crisp vocals alone should’ve been a telltale sign that she was destined for greatness.
Listen to the full performance below:
Watch Usrey’s Original Live Duet with Graycie York: