Ella Langley Is Some ‘Country Boy’s Dream Girl’

• Ella Langley, the newest truthteller in country music, never seems to go on a date without first asking some questions.
• “Am I being a tomboy too much?”, Langley, 23, asks out loud. “Am I acting too spryly? Is it okay if he carries my guitar? But then I understand that “No” is the response to each of those queries. He can simply go kick rocks if he doesn’t want me for who I am.”
• Langley has actually instructed numerous men to kick rocks.

The singer/songwriter, whose blend of country/rock is catching the attention of many in the music industry, says that his ideal date would involve going to a dive bar, drinking some beer, playing some pool, and throwing some darts. “I don’t know why, but going on a really fancy first date makes me feel so much less at ease than if I’m simply hanging out at the bar. And I believe that some guys are unsure about how to approach someone in that way.”

She chuckles and adds, “I have just recently learned that.

But it’s precisely someone like that who is the focus of Langley’s latest single, “Country Boy’s Dream Girl.” This song, which she co-wrote with fellow composers Will Bundy, Aaron Raitiere, and Smith Ahnquist this past spring, is her first since signing with Columbia Records.

According to Langley, who draws inspiration from musicians like Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson, and Chris Stapleton, “all my songs are created from a truthful place.” “I have experienced every single one of these feelings, even the positive and negative ones. All of those things and those stories actually happened in my life. The best thing about this past year’s extensive touring is that people can relate to my candour.”

When Langley was growing up in Hope Hull, Alabama, she would listen to songs by musicians like Stevie Nicks in the mornings as she got ready for school. Langley recalls, “My mom bought me every vinyl album of Stevie Nicks you could possibly imagine.

And it’s this kind of candour that, in 2020, when Langley was floundering in Nashville, made even more apparent to others.

“COVID happened six months after I moved here,” recalls Langley, who dropped out of Auburn University’s Forestry department in order to study songwriting in Music City. Fortunately, I was able to join a fantastic group of people during that period, and I still write with them today. They only write, and they adore it; it’s an important part of their lives. Being in that environment allowed me to develop greatly as a writer and artist.”

The abundance of chances to perform among Nashville’s most skilled musicians at places like The Bluebird Café contributes to that growth.

Langley, who got her start in the country music business by performing, says, “There’s so much history in that building.” “four days a week, four-hour cover performances. “It was a similar feeling when we performed the Ryman last year because so many musicians I grew up listening to played their first writer’s rounds there. One of those “Is this really happening?” moments, perhaps.”

In case anyone is interested, Langley also claims that it is a stage of life that she would like to go through “alone.”

Langley, who recently earned co-writing credits on Elle King’s most recent single, “Out Yonder,” alongside fellow writers Matt McKinney and Bobby Hamrick, laughs, “I’m taking a step back from [relationships] and I’m focused on me.” “I’m excited about all the things that are going on in my work right now. Simply taking some time to concentrate on it If something happens along the road, that’s fantastic, I mean. But I’m obviously just hanging around with my dog and going about my thing, you know?”

And in 2023, she has a lot on her plate.

Langley adds, “I would love to bring out a couple bodies of work next year.” “I’ve only released singles so far, so that’s a great accomplishment for me. Additionally, I simply want to keep performing as many gigs as I can. For an Alabama girl from a small town, visiting 36 states in one year was absolutely ridiculous.”

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