Ella Langley, the Alabama-born country star behind the chart-topping hit "Choosin' Texas," spoke to Variety about curating an all-female opening lineup for her first arena-headlining tour, reflecting a broader push to spotlight women in country music during a breakout year. The interview comes amid a run of major accolades that have cemented her as one of country's fastest-rising stars, making her choices about who she platforms on tour particularly notable within the genre.

"Choosin' Texas" spent 15 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, a record for a non-holiday song by a woman, while her second album "Dandelion" was released in April. Langley swept all seven of her nominations at the 2026 ACM Awards, a new record for most wins by an artist in a year, added two American Music Awards, and has since picked up a 2026 MTV VMAs nomination. Her Dandelion Tour has been extended through October with stops including Red Rocks and two nights at LA's Greek Theatre, and she named openers such as Kaitlin Butts, Gabriella Rose, Laci Kaye Booth, Avery Anna and Madeline Edwards, alongside artists including Ernest and Kameron and Dylan Marlowe.