In 2024 Ella Langley brought home the CMA musical event of the year trophy for “you look like you love me” with Riley Green. Not only was it her first CMA, it was her first CMA nomination.
And that was before the track from her Hungover album ever hit #1.
“We worked really hard on this first record, and it was kind of a shot in the dark,” she tells ABC Audio. “It was my first one, [we were trying] to see what the reaction is, if people were understanding it or not. And, you know, with the past year and everything that’s happened, it was like, ‘Oh, I think they’re understanding it. I think they’re relating.'”
“And it’s just so cool because when your dreams come true almost every day — imagine if every day was your birthday,” she says. “It is a little insane. It’s how it feels.”
The 2025 CMA nominations only upped the ante, as Ella, host Lainey Wilson and Megan Moroney all lead the nominations with six apiece.
“It was really cool to see that three women were most nominated. That was probably the most exciting part for me,” Ella says. “It’s so cool because we’re all three so different, but we all love country music and, you know, [we’re] just holding down the fort up there for other women to come through.”
“And let me tell you, there’s a lot of good ones coming through. So this ain’t gonna be the last time three women are most nominated,” she adds.
Ella’s also set to perform the lead single from her upcoming sophomore album, “Choosin’ Texas,” during the 59th CMA Awards, which air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
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