Ella Langley Reflects on Criticism Amid Chart Success
Country singer shares an emotional message with fans about handling public opinion during a recent concert.
Singer Ella Langley addressed the criticism she has faced since achieving mainstream success during a recent concert in Columbus, Ohio. The 27-year-old artist spoke openly about the opinions directed at her appearance, speech, dress, demeanor, and musical style.
"At first it bothered me. I won’t even lie," Langley shared, referencing a TikTok video of her remarks. "At first I was like, what am I going to do about this? I don’t know, if this is what I’m signing up to do, I don’t know about this."
She explained that while she signed up to make music, persistent criticism made her question her ability to withstand the pressures of the industry. Langley found a way to reframe the criticism by thinking of the younger version of herself who worked tirelessly to achieve her dreams. "That’s the girl that rode in the 15-passenger van night after night after night. She rode in a Honda Accord night after night after night, chasing her dream, living on bar food, living on tip jar money. She didn’t have anything but a dream and the ability to get up and do it every single day," she stated. "So I’m going to tell you right now, I am proud of that girl that everybody seems to be picking on a little bit."
Langley's comments come as her song "Choosin' Texas" has held the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 24 consecutive weeks, surpassing Mariah Carey's previous record of 22 weeks for "All I Want for Christmas Is You." In a separate incident that recently went viral, Langley was criticized for her response to a fan who asked her out on a date after a concert in Knoxville, Tennessee. The fan, heard on TikTok, asked, "Ella, how many likes to take you on a date?" to which she replied, "Not enough in the world," with a frown.
Some fans expressed disapproval of her reaction in online comments, with one writing, "This rubbed me the wrong way. And I like her." Another asked, "Literally what is her problem?" with a third suggesting, "She could have laughed and said no in a whole different way."
Langley recently shared on Instagram her gratitude for the song's success, calling it life-changing. "Thank you so much. Thank you for loving this song, for listening to it," she said. "It's changing my life. It's changing the lives of the writers of this song. It's changing the lives of my family, and it is truly growing an atmosphere for something I'm gonna be able to do the rest of my life and I just… today doesn't feel like a real thing."