This week, Ella Langley broke a chart record held by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. Her country song “Choosin’ Texas” has now spent 15 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the longest-running US number one by a female solo artist for a non-holiday single. The previous record holders—Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” and Carey’s “We Belong Together”—were big, bold pop moments, the kind of unstoppable hits that make sense as chart-toppers. “Choosin’ Texas,” on the other hand, is a mid-tempo two-step with a relaxed vocal style and a distinctly retro feel.
For Victoria Banks, a Nashville-based songwriter and teacher at Belmont University, the song’s easygoing vibe is key to its success. “It’s a sleeper hit—it’s understated and unassuming,” she says. “Everything about the song takes you back to a simpler time in country music that people are really craving.”
The lyrics of “Choosin’ Texas” tell the story of a woman from Tennessee who goes with her partner on a trip back to his home state of Texas—and realizes along the way that “his heart still belongs to the lone star state.” It’s heartbreak on a classic country scale, and Langley expresses it with lyrical nods to decades-old hits by Jerry Reed, Ronnie Millsap, and George Strait. The danceable production, with its focus on guitar and pedal steel, brings to mind country hits from the late ’70s and early ’80s, but with a modern polish.
“There are a lot of throwback elements to the song, but it was clearly recorded in a very modern way,” Banks says. “It’s not so throwback that we can’t relate to it.”
As a sign of country music’s ongoing dominance in the pop world, “Choosin’ Texas” is one of five country songs currently in the US top 10 on the all-genre Hot 100. Given country music’s poor track record when it comes to supporting women, it’s no coincidence that each of these songs—including Taylor Swift’s “I Knew It, I Knew You,” Stella Lefty’s “Boston,” and Langley’s own “Be Her” and her duet with Morgan Wallen, “I Can’t Love You Anymore”—features a woman as the lead artist.
Historically, when country music crosses over into the mainstream, debates arise about how far the genre has strayed from its roots. “Someone killed country music, cut out its heart and soul,” George Strait famously said on “Murder on Music Row,” a 2000 duet with Alan Jackson that lamented the state of Nashville’s industry in the late ’90s—when artists like Faith Hill and Lonestar ruled the airwaves with ultra-smooth, country-pop hits. More recently, Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” sparked endless discussion about what counts as country music and who gets to be part of it.
“Choosin’ Texas” has mostly avoided criticism of being “too pop,” partly because of the clever songwriting. Co-written with Miranda Lambert, Joybeth Taylor, and Luke Dick, the song weaves country signifiers—two-stepping, Texas and Tennessee, the interstate—into the emotional story in a way that feels natural. Even the required mention of Jack Daniels serves a narrative purpose; it matters that she’s drinking Tennessee whiskey all by herself.
“All of these writers have been working in the Nashville market for years,” Banks explains. “So even though they say they wrote this song in 30 minutes or so, it came from instincts they’ve developed over a long time about what’s catchy and what draws people in.”
Brian Mansfield, managing editor of the trade publication Country Insider, says the song’s twangy-but-smooth sound makes it appealing to program directors—whetherIn country music or adult contemporary, artists tend to avoid songs that would sound too rustic next to lighter pop hits. “It’s a song that fits well with almost anything you can play, and that’s an underrated part of creating a music mix for any format,” he says.
The song’s versatility also makes it perfect for streaming playlists. According to Luminate, “Choosin’ Texas” racked up over half a billion streams in just the first half of the year, making it the most-streamed country song by a wide margin.
Along with support from veteran singers like Swift and Shania Twain, the song has also been boosted by various viral social media moments—something that’s often needed for streaming success these days. In October, shortly after “Choosin’ Texas” was released, TikTok user Lane Gorrell posted a video of himself doing an interpretive dance to the song in front of some confused-looking cows. The clip got millions of views, and Gorrell eventually took his dance all the way to the Grand Ole Opry.
Then came the misheard lyric videos. Around January, echoing Taylor Swift’s famous “Starbucks lovers” moment from 2014, users started posting videos claiming they misheard the title as “Jews in Texas” or even “Jews and Taxes.” Some also reported hearing “drinking Jack all by myself” as “drink and jack off by myself.” Langley laughed off the misheard lyrics in an interview with podcaster Theo Von in April—which, of course, only drew more attention to the trend. A clip from the same interview, where a clearly smitten Von butchers the word “tzatziki” in front of his crush, also went viral.
[Image description: Langley photographed for her album Dandelion. Photo credit: Courtesy Sony Music]
Enter the Ella Fellas. Langley’s male fanbase has made itself known with all kinds of viral content, from uncomfortably earnest lip-syncing videos to clips of themselves looking mesmerized at her concerts. There have even been Ella Fella birthday parties. Langley’s team has nurtured this following by reposting popular videos and sending Ella Fellas T-shirts to some of her most dedicated supporters. Compared to many pop fandoms, whose obsessions can sometimes turn antisocial, the Ella Fellas seem like a remarkably sane and joyful group.
“It’s one of those things that brings people together,” says Hunter Massey, a student at Georgia Southern University and TikToker whose videos of himself going wild to country songs have earned him his own audience. “There can be people from different walks of life, different parts of the country, but we all seem to share this love for her music, and that’s what makes us Ella Fellas.”
Massey is among the growing number of creators who get paid to post videos using artists’ songs on TikTok—including Langley’s. He says he sometimes turns down requests for songs that don’t resonate with him, but he’s never had a problem promoting her music.
For him and other Ella Fellas, the appeal is in how down-to-earth she seems. She’s reinforced this image with songs like “Dandelion,” where she sings that she “wasn’t made for a fancy crystal vase,” and “Somethin’ Simple,” where she muses about giving up stardom for “a house on a hill, horse in the yard.”
“She’s not flashy, Hollywood, or anything like that,” Massey says. “That’s what we like about her.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about how Choosin Texas became the biggest song of the year based on the idea that it sounds good next to almost anything
BeginnerLevel Questions
Q What is Choosin Texas
A Its a countrypop song that unexpectedly became the biggest hit of the year Its known for a simple catchy melody that fits easily into any playlist
Q Why did it become so popular
A Mainly because of its sonic versatility The song has a neutral warm sound that doesnt clash with other genresrock pop hiphop or even sad songs Playlists and radio stations love it because it never feels out of place
Q What does sounds good next to almost anything mean
A It means the songs tempo key and production are so balanced that it flows smoothly between a heavy rock track and a soft ballad You dont get that jarring feeling when it comes on after a different style of music
Q Is it just a TikTok trend
A No while TikTok helped it spread its real power was on streaming playlists and radio People kept it in rotation because it worked as a bridge song between different moods
Q Who sings Choosin Texas
A The song is by a relatively new artist who focused on making the track fit in rather than stand out aggressively
IntermediateLevel Questions
Q How did the production style make it a universal fit
A The producer used a midtempo beat a simple acoustic guitar riff and a vocal mix that isnt too bright or too bassheavy This neutral EQ profile means it doesnt overpower speakers or sound thin next to bassheavy pop songs
Q Did radio programmers play a role in its success
A Yes Radio programmers love seguefriendly songs Choosin Texas had a fadeout that matched the intro of most popular songs making transitions seamless Programmers called it a nobrainer add
Q What is the playlist theory behind its success
