Ella Langley Refuses to Give Advice to Her 2023 Self

Ella Langley has zero advice for her 2023 self.

She told SiriusXM The Highway that if she had known everything that was coming, the person she was three years ago wouldn’t have been able to handle it.

“I think she would combust,” Langley said.

She released “That’s Why We Fight” with Koe Wetzel in April 2023.

That song became one of the first of hers she ever heard on the radio.

It was a huge milestone for any artist, but especially for someone just breaking into mainstream country.

Since then, her career has accelerated at a pace that is almost unheard of.

In 2024, she had her first major hit with the Riley Green collaboration “you look like you love me.”

She followed that with “weren’t for the wind” and other singles that kept building momentum.

Then came “Choosin’ Texas.”

That song was released on October 17, 2025.

It is now the longest-running #1 hit by a female artist this century.

It is the only country song by a woman to go #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100, Hot Country Songs, and Country Airplay charts simultaneously.

In September 2026, it broke Mariah Carey’s long-standing record of 22 weeks atop the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.

“Choosin’ Texas” held the #1 spot for 23 weeks, making it the longest-running #1 in U.S. history.

It is also the first song in history to remain at #1 on the Hot 100 for over half a calendar year — 26 weeks.

Throughout 2026, only nine other songs topped the chart, including Taylor Swift’s “Patient Zero” and “I Knew It, I Knew You,” Drake’s “Janice STFU,” and Bad Bunny’s “DtMF.”

Langley’s sophomore album, Dandelion, debuted at #1 on the all-genre Billboard 200.

It sold 169,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week.

She became just the second woman in history to hold the #1 album and song in the U.S. simultaneously with a country song and album.

All of this happened in about three years.

Langley has spoken publicly about her personal struggles adjusting to the fame and the pressure.

During the SiriusXM interview, she was asked what advice she would give her 2023 self, when she first put out “That’s Why We Fight.”

Her answer was direct.

“Absolutely nothing,” she said.

She explained that if she had known everything that came with the success, the younger version of herself would not have been able to handle it.

“I think she would combust,” she repeated.

Now, Langley is preparing for the biggest night of the year.

The 60th Annual CMA Awards will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on November 18, 2026.

The show runs from 8 to 11 p.m.

ET/PT on ABC and Disney+, with on-demand streaming the next day on Hulu.

Lainey Wilson returns as host for the third consecutive year.

Robert Deaton is back as executive producer, Alan Carter as director, and Jon Macks as head writer.

Langley leads this year’s nominations with nine.

Her nominations include Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, and Female Vocalist of the Year.

She is also nominated for Musical Event of the Year and Music Video of the Year.

She earned two nominations each for Single of the Year and Song of the Year.

She took home three CMA Awards last year.

The first round of performers was announced recently.

Langley is among them, along with Miranda Lambert, Cody Johnson, Kacey Musgraves, Tim McGraw, Zach Top, The Red Clay Strays, and Tucker Wetmore.

What Langley will sing on the CMA stage has not been disclosed.

But with nine nominations and a history-making year behind her, the performance will be one of the most anticipated of the night.

Miranda Lambert enters the ceremony with seven nominations this year.

She has 70 career CMA nominations, making her the most-nominated female artist in the show’s history.