In the midst of this year’s ACM Awards, Ella Langley is the name on top of everyone’s mind.
The “You Look Like You Love Me” singer, who took home the single of the year ACM award alongside Riley Green, was the most-nominated artist at the 2025 awards ceremony with eight nods.
Langley also won the honor for new female artist of the year earlier this week, showing that the 26-year-old country artist is just getting started.
On Thursday night’s 60th annual Academy of Country Music Awards, which was broadcasted live from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, and hosted by Reba McEntire, Langley performed twice.
Country newcomer Ella Langley makes waves at 2025 ACMs
Langley, an Alabama native who released her record “Hungover” in August 2024, broke into the music scene when she went viral on TikTok for her track “If You Have To” in 2021.
She made her Opry debut in 2023 and gained quite the following after her tune with Riley Green hit No. 1 on the Billboard Country Airplay Chart.
Ella Langley arrives on the red carpet before the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Thursday, May 8, 2025.
In 2024, Green and Langley won the CMA musical event of the year for the twangy, playful duet with talking verses and a catchy chorus.
At the 2025 ACMs, Langley took to the stage with Miranda Lambert to duet on the tune “Kerosene,” which Lambert released 20 years ago.
Later in the evening, Langley performed a rockin’ version of her track “Weren’t For The Wind,” hitting the stage in a Penny Lane coat, an all-black leather get-up and fringey pants.
Ella Langley and Miranda Lambert perform during the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, Thursday, May 8, 2025.
Shortly after the performance, Langley took home the single of the year award with Green.
“I’m still out of breath,” Langley told the crowd, adding that she’s felt out of breath since the release of “You Look Like You Love Me,” too.
“You Look Like You Love Me” really changed things for Langley as a songwriter, she said.
“It taught me to just not care so much and write what you love.”
Audrey Gibbs is a music journalist with The Tennessean. You can reach her at agibbs@tennessean.com.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Who is Ella Langley? ACM Awards winner performs twice at 2025 ceremony