Ella Langley received her first Academy of Country Music Award, for New Female Artist of the Year, Friday afternoon (April 25). While on stage for his set at Rock The Country in Knoxville, Tennessee, Langley received the news via a congratulatory video from Miranda Lambert, the winning artist in ACM history.
It was hardly a surprise because Langley was the most nominated artist for the next 60. ACM awards with eight nods. None of the other nominees for this year’s new female artist – Kassi Ashton, Ashley Cooke, Dasha and Jessie Murph – had more than one nomination.
“I’m here to tell you how proud I’m about you to be the top nominated artist for the Academy of Country Music Awards this year,” Lambert said in the video. “You are first and foremost my friend, a colleague rescue lawyer, you are co-author, you are my soul sister in country music and a partner in crime. We are celebrating so big in Dallas, Texas! They are not even ready!”
Lambert won in the same category in 2007 – a year after Carrie Underwood took the award, and a year before Taylor Swift did. (A pretty good run there.)
This was the second nomination in this year’s new female artist for the year of both Ashton and Cooke, which means they cannot be nominated in the category again. Due to the generous policy of both ACM and CMA prices, Dasha and Murph can be nominated twice in the category.
Langley, 25, is also nominated for this year’s female artist and in four categories for “You look like you love me”, her breakthrough hit with Riley Green. The sexy duet is nominated for this year’s song, Song of the Year, Music Event of the Year and Visual Media of the Year. Langley is nominated as both artist and songwriter in the Song of the Year category and as both artist and director in this year’s visual media.
“You look like you love me” reached # 1 on Billboard‘S Country AirPlay Diagram, No. 7 on Hot Country Songs and No. 30 on Billboard Hot 100. Langley Co-wrote all the songs on his debut album, HungoverThere reached No. 11 on the top land album and No. 49 at All-Genre Billboard 200.
Zach Top was presented with the award for this year’s new male artist on Thursday. ACM has not yet presented the award for the New Duo or Group of the Year. The nominees are restless road, Red Clay Strays and Treaty Oak Revival.
Langley is celebrated for his victory at the 60. ACM Awards hosted by Reba Mcente. The show streams live for a global audience on Prime Video and the Amazon Music Channel on Twitch on Thursday, May 8 at 1 p.m. 20 ET / 19:00 CT / 17:00 PT from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. A limited number of tickets can be purchased at Seatgeek.
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