Nothing less than a full-blown phenomenon.

By the end of 2023, it already felt inevitable that Ella Langley was lining herself up to be country music’s next major female star. Early momentum from songs like “Could’ve Been Her,” “paint the town blue,” and her collaboration with Koe Wetzel on “That’s Why We Fight” made it clear she was building something big.

Then 2024 arrived—and everything exploded.

Langley exceeded even the highest expectations with the runaway success of her duet with Riley Green, the now-inescapable “you look like you love me.” At its peak, the song was everywhere—beloved by fans, embraced by critics, and impossible to ignore. While it’s admittedly crossed into “overplayed” territory by 2026, there’s no denying the scale of its impact. The track became an awards-season juggernaut, racking up seven wins across the CMA and ACM Awards between 2024 and 2025. Add to that a No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, a triple-platinum certification from the RIAA, and nearly 300 million Spotify streams as of January 21, 2026—and you’re looking at a defining hit.

After a run like that, topping it felt like an impossible task. And that’s no knock on Langley—it was simply the perfect convergence of quality songwriting, viral momentum, and offstage intrigue fueled by nonstop speculation surrounding her and Green at the time.

So when “Choosin’ Texas” dropped, expectations were cautious.

Then it bulldozed right through them.

Released on October 7, the song—co-written with Miranda Lambert alongside Joybeth Taylor and Luke Dick—quickly became one of the most talked-about tracks of the year. For one, it reignited online chatter about Langley and Green, with fans dissecting the song’s artwork and lyrics, once again stirring rumors involving Langley, Green, and Megan Moroney.

But the real reason “Choosin’ Texas” took off is much simpler: it’s a great song.

Leaning into subtle ’70s-inspired textures—especially in the intro—the track is instantly gripping. From its steel-heavy production and Langley’s sharp, twang-forward delivery to its heartbreak-driven narrative and hyper-specific writing, it checks every box of what classic country music is supposed to do. It’s confident, emotional, and unapologetically country.

And the numbers back it up.

The song debuted at No. 37 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 and shot to No. 7 on the Hot Country Songs chart—both career highs for Langley. Momentum only grew from there. By December 2, “Choosin’ Texas” claimed the No. 1 spot on Hot Country Songs, becoming her first chart-topper and the fastest solo female song this decade to crack the Top 10 at U.S. country radio, doing so in just eight weeks.

If that wasn’t impressive enough, January 5 brought another major milestone: the track leaped from No. 48 to No. 5 on the Hot 100, marking Langley’s first-ever Top 5 and Top 10 entry on the chart. To put that into perspective, she became only the 12th woman this century to land a country song inside the Hot 100’s Top 10.

Even amid a crowded chart week—featuring Zach Bryan placing 18 songs on the Hot 100 and Bruno Mars returning to No. 1 with his first solo hit in years—“Choosin’ Texas” held strong, slipping just one spot to No. 6.

Perhaps most intriguing, the song is now gaining traction outside of traditional country lanes. This week, it tied for the most adds across U.S. Hot Adult Contemporary radio, landing 20 new station pickups. While that number alone isn’t massive, it becomes notable considering the company it’s keeping—alongside new tracks from artists like Hillary Duff, Bruno Mars, MAX, Andy Grammer, and RAYE.

Adult Contemporary radio, typically geared toward women ages 25–45 and dominated by pop, R&B, and soft rock, isn’t exactly known for embracing straight-up country. Yet “Choosin’ Texas” is breaking through anyway.

That’s what makes this moment so compelling.

In an era where artists like Morgan Wallen dominate with pop- and trap-infused country, and Zach Bryan thrives in folk-leaning singer-songwriter territory, it’s genuinely remarkable to see a song this traditionally country not only rule its own genre—but also force its way into broader, historically country-resistant formats.

At this point, there’s no debate left. Ella Langley is a country superstar.

And judging by the trajectory of “Choosin’ Texas,” she’s rapidly becoming a star far beyond the genre.

Go ahead—spin “Choosin’ Texas” before you leave.