Ella Langley spent quite a lot of time on stage at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday (May 17). Aside from performing her Billboard Hot 100 No. 2 hit “Be Her” (which was kept from the top spot by her own nine-week No. 1 hit “Choosin’ Texas”), the rising country superstar nabbed five Academy of Country Music Awards at the 2026 ACM Awards, including the coveted female artist of the year ACM Award.
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Earlier in the night, while accepting song of the year, Langley said she was “at a loss for words.” When she was named the female artist of the year by presenter T.J. Osborne (who thanked the ACM Awards for inviting his “gay ass” on stage), Langley truly was unable to speak for a moment. Her eyes welling with tears, Langley sniffled and paused a moment to collect herself. “I’m trying to get to say something but I can’t,” she whispered.
“This is a weird thing to do. I was having a strange day,” she shared, admitting that awards shows sometimes lead to her having “strange days in the morning.” She found solace, however, in “the women in this category, the women in this life.” Langley continued, “I walked right into Lainey’s (Wilson) room and she hugged me. And all of a sudden, here comes Miranda Lambert in her pink hat. I would not be standing up here without the encouragement of so many women.” Langley also thanked Kelsea Ballerini, her parents, her “family, for showing up and being weird as always,” and Jesus, “for letting me do this for a living.”
The American Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.
