Miranda Lambert on Ella Langley: ‘We’re girls; we talk each other off the ledge all the time.’
The veteran Texas country music star says she once told Langley to 'call Taylor Swift' about how to handle a hit like 'Choosin' Texas.'
Mason Reed 
When Hope Hull native Ella Langley saw her monster hit Choosin' Texas begin its historic climb, she had a direct line to country music veteran Miranda Lambert for guidance. Lambert, who co-wrote the track, admitted the song’s massive success caught her by surprise, prompting her to jokingly tell Langley, “You might need to call Taylor Swift” for advice on navigating that level of fame.
A Powerful Partnership
The professional bond between the two has deepened significantly over the last 18 months. Lambert has served as a mentor and collaborator for Langley, notably bringing the breakout star onstage to perform Kerosene during the 2025 Academy of Country Music awards, a night where Langley racked up significant recognition. Their creative partnership has even extended into the studio; Lambert recently stepped into the role of producer for the first time in her career to help craft Langley's highly anticipated new album, Dandelion.
Behind the Hits
Choosin' Texas has proven to be a juggernaut, spending a record-setting 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite temporary shifts in the rankings due to artists like Drake and Ariana Grande, the track remains a cultural touchstone. Fans may be surprised to learn that a quirky story involving Lambert and a pet kangaroo served as the real-life inspiration for one of the song's iconic lines.
Navigating the Spotlight
In a deep-dive interview with Billboard, Lambert emphasized the personal nature of their mentorship. “I’m either talking her off a ledge or hyping her up,” Lambert noted. “We’re girls; we talk each other off the ledge all the time.”
Langley echoed that sentiment, highlighting the lack of a traditional roadmap in the music industry. “To be able to have someone like her to ask questions—‘Should I be doing this?’—it’s just a cool time for the both of us,” Langley shared. For Lambert, at 42, giving back to the next generation—including artists like Kacey Musgraves—is a priority. “What I’ve done is try to use the knowledge that I’ve gained by being in the industry for over 20 years to really lift up the younger generations,” she reflected, adding with a laugh that she often knows the right way to act only because she “did it wrong” herself in the past.
For more on the success of Choosin' Texas and the making of Dandelion, visit Billboard.com.
