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Ella Langley Reflects on Full-Circle Festival Moment, ACM Wins, and What Love Smells Like
On Saturday, May 17, rising country star Ella Langley soaked in the spotlight at Morgan Wallen’s inaugural Sand in My Boots Festival, performing just steps away from where she once vacationed as a teen. For the Alabama native, it was more than just another show — it was a full-circle moment.
“I used to go to Hangout [Festival] for senior graduation,” Langley, 26, told PEOPLE at the Scent x Sound Lab by Bath & Body Works, held onsite at Gulf Shores. “We didn’t go on a senior trip. I went to Hangout, and every year I go on vacation down here. It’s just cool to be included in the first Sand in My Boots. It’s going down in history.”
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<p>During her set, Langley performed fan favorites like “Weren’t for the Wind,” “Country Boy’s Dream Girl,” “Nicotine,” and “Hungover.” She later surprised fans by joining Riley Green for their hit duet “You Look Like You Love Me” and “Don’t Mind If I Do.”</p>
<p>A Big ACM Week<br />
Just days earlier, Langley dominated headlines as the most-nominated artist at the 2025 ACM Awards, walking away with five wins including:</p>
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New Female Artist of the Year
Single of the Year
Music Event of the Year
Visual Media of the Year
She also hit the stage with one of her biggest musical inspirations: Miranda Lambert. Together, they performed Lambert’s 2005 breakout hit “Kerosene,” a performance Langley says she’ll never forget.
“That whole week was filled with highlights,” Langley said. “But when I got asked to do Kerosene with Miranda? God, it made the night so much better. That was our first time performing together. I felt like a 12-year-old kid living her biggest dream.”
Langley has long admired Lambert for her fearless authenticity and strength.
“She is who she is and doesn’t apologize for it,” Langley shared. “She stands up for herself and others she believes in. That’s always stuck with me.”
Scent of a Feeling
At the Bath & Body Works activation, Langley spoke about how scent ties to memory — and what love smells like to her.
“It depends on the day,” she said with a smile. “Sometimes it smells like mahogany tea, wood, kind of sexy. Some days it’s strawberry shortcake. And honestly, some days? It smells like rain. That’s just the truth.”
With a breakout year behind her and major milestones stacking up fast, Ella Langley is proving to be country music’s new fan-favorite — real, reflective, and ready for whatever’s next.