While attending a writers’ retreat in October 2024, country singer Ella Langley wrote an assortment of new songs. One in particular would become a breakout hit. Time at the retreat included sessions with three of Nashville’s busiest songwriters: Joybeth Taylor, Luke Dick, and Miranda Lambert. While breaking the ice, Lambert told the group a comical story about things getting a little out of hand one day. Years ago, the Texas native, who was active in the animal rescue community, drew police attention while driving with her pet kangaroo.
As the group laughed at one of Lambert’s eccentric stories, Langley remarked, “Well, she’s from Texas, I can tell.” The one-liner instantly became the muse for their most successful songwriting session. Thanks to Lambert’s candor and Langley’s wit, her current single, “Choosin’ Texas,” is a modern-day classic in the making.
A Country Radio Mainstay
“Choosin’ Texas” came together in about a half-hour. Langley chose the folksy ballad as the lead single on her forthcoming album, “Dandelion,” set to debut April 10. The country performer drew from roots music and Americana for the record. She also leaned on the sounds of country musician Ronnie Milsap’s classic “Smoky Mountain Rain” for inspiration.
Langley’s artistic partnership with Lambert continued after the retreat, with Lambert co-producing “Dandelion” alongside Langley and collaborator Ben West. “Choosin’ Texas” is a standout introductory track that takes listeners back to country music’s storytelling days. The plot centers around a Tennessee woman who loses a love interest to a Texas rival. Critics praised the catchy tune as being “equal parts heartbreak, backbone, and lived-in truth, as well as the fearless storytelling and lyrical instincts of its co-writers.
Since Langley released “Choosin’ Texas” in October 2025, the hit single has become a country radio mainstay. In February, Nashville publication MusicRow reported the ballad went to No. 1 on three charts simultaneously: the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Country Songs, and Country Airplay.
As the tune gained traction, Langley has shared the song’s origin story a few times, crediting her co-writers as a defining force behind its success and calling the experience an “amazing opportunity.” Though she wrote quite a few songs at the retreat, she struck gold—or platinum, rather—early on. “Choosin’ Texas” was just the second song she penned in the collaboration session.
‘Let Her Artistry Shine Through’
Langley will travel the nation this summer on her “The Dandelion Tour.” As “Choosin’ Texas” continues to fuel ticket sales, Lambert shared with Country Living magazine that it was important not to get in the way of the rising star’s originality during the production process.
“She’s an artist through and through, and it was important to me to let her artistry shine through at every stage of the process, from co-writing to co-producing. I’m so proud of how ‘Choosin’ Texas’ does that, and can’t wait to see the world continue to get to know Ella through this song,” she said.
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