Ella Langley is speaking out about the criticism that has followed her record-breaking year.
Her hit "Choosin' Texas" spent a 23rd week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, passing Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You," which held the top spot for 22 weeks between 2019 and 2026. That makes it the longest-running No. 1 in Hot 100 history.
At a recent stop on her Dandelion Tour in Columbus, Ohio, Langley told the crowd she has never had more opinions about her in her life than she has in the past year. She admitted she wondered whether she was strong enough to handle it all.
Then she shifted her thinking. She said she began imagining the criticism was aimed at her younger self, the girl who rode in a 15-passenger van and a Honda Accord night after night, living on tip-jar money and bar food, chasing a dream. She told fans she is "proud of that girl that everybody seems to be picking on."
The speech comes before "Loving Life Again," her current Top 10 hit on country radio, and has become a regular moment on the tour.
Langley, 27, also won a record seven trophies at the Academy of Country Music Awards in May, including Artist-Songwriter of the Year. She co-wrote "Choosin' Texas" with Miranda Lambert and others.
Related Article: Ella Langley's "Choosin' Texas" Just Broke Mariah Carey's All-Time Billboard Record
