Ella Langley's country single 'Choosin' Texas' has spent 15 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, breaking the record for the longest-running US No.1 by a female solo artist for a non-holiday single. The previous record holders were Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You' and Mariah Carey's 'We Belong Together'.
A Sleeper Hit with Retro-Modern Appeal
The song is a midtempo two-step with a relaxed vocal delivery and a decidedly retro sound. Nashville songwriter Victoria Banks describes it as 'a sleeper hit – it's understated and unassuming. Everything about the song throws back to a simpler time in country music that people are really craving.'
The lyrics tell the story of a Tennessee woman who accompanies her lover back to Texas and realizes 'his heart still belongs to the lone star state.' The production evokes late 70s and early 80s country hits with a contemporary gloss.
Country's Dominance and Streaming Success
Choosin' Texas is one of five country songs currently in the US top 10 on the all-genre Hot 100, each featuring a woman as lead artist. According to Luminate, the song racked up over half a billion streams in the first half of the year, making it the most-streamed song in the country.
Brian Mansfield of Country Insider notes the song's versatility: 'It's a song that sounds good next to almost anything you can play, and that is an underrated part of creating the music mix for any format.'
Viral Moments and the Ella Fellas
The song's success was boosted by viral social media moments, including a TikTok video of Lane Gorrell dancing in front of cows, which led to a performance at the Grand Ole Opry. Misheard lyrics—like 'Jews in Texas' or 'Jews and Taxes' and 'drink and jack off by myself'—also went viral. Langley laughed off the misheard lyrics in an interview with Theo Von.
Langley's male fanbase, the Ella Fellas, has created viral content from lip-syncing videos to concert reactions. Hunter Massey, a Georgia Southern University student and TikToker, says: 'There can be people from different walks of life, different parts of the country, but we all seem to have this love for her music, and that's what makes us Ella Fellas.'
Down-to-Earth Appeal
Massey and other fans appreciate Langley's down-to-earth persona, reflected in songs like 'Dandelion' and 'Somethin' Simple'. Massey says: 'She's not flashy, Hollywood, whatever. It's what we like about her.'
