Ella Langley wins best new country artist at iHeartRadio music awards

Why Ella Langley’s tip jar is in new Country Music Hall of Fame’s exhibit

Ella Langley on being part of the Country Music Hall of Fame’s new ‘American Current’s exhibit and the story behind the tip jar on display.

Ella Langley’s breakout year just got even bigger. The Alabama native won Best New Country Artist at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards.

She wore a black lacey ensemble and thanked Jesus in her acceptance speech, adding that she couldn’t believe she got to sit next to superstars like Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus.

“The thing we’re always trying to do is just to get in there and write a good song,” she said. “Thank you, Jesus, for putting this passion in my heart.”

Langley beat out Chase Matthew, Hudson Westbrook, Josh Ross and Zach Top.

She also was nominated in two fan-voted categories; “Choosin’ Texas” was nominated for best lyrics and her “Still Hungover Tour” was up for favorite tour style.

The recognition placed her among country’s rising class while also putting her in the mix with global names like Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Beyoncé and Billie Eilish.

That momentum has been building. Her single “Choosin’ Texas” sits at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song made country music history as Langley became one of the first women to simultaneously lead the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts.

“I mean, we loved the song when we wrote it,” Langley said March 17 at BMI’s offices in Nashville, seated alongside co-writers Miranda Lambert, Luke Dick, Johnny Clawson and Joybeth Taylor. “That was the song that me and Miranda clicked on where it was like, ‘All right, we’re going to work together in a bigger way for sure.'”

On March 20, Langley was also recognized as part of the Country Radio Seminar’s New Faces of Country Music Class of 2026.

“I literally wanted to do exactly what I’m doing here tonight,” Langley said.

Bryan West is a music reporter at The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.