How a Kangaroo Helped Miranda Lambert Inspire Ella Langley’s Chart-Topping Hit “Choosin’ Texas”

Ella Langley’s meteoric rise in country music has been fueled by her hit single, “Choosin’ Texas,” a song with an unexpectedly wild origin story. The track, which recently topped the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts simultaneously—a first for a female artist—was born from a conversation about Miranda Lambert’s past and a particularly unusual pet.

The Story Behind the Song

Langley co-wrote “Choosin’ Texas” with Lambert, Joybeth Taylor, and Luke Dick during a songwriting retreat. The inspiration struck during a casual conversation when Lambert recounted a story about owning a kangaroo and, subsequently, being pulled over by police whereas the animal was in her car.

“She told me she had a pet kangaroo, and she was driving down a dirt road, and the kangaroo was in the back seat, and the dog was in the front seat,” Langley explained in a live video, as reported by Taste of Country. “Then she got pulled over with a kangaroo in the passenger seat.”

Langley recalled that Lambert mentioned having Texas plates on her car during the incident. “And I said, ‘Well, the cop was probably like, ‘She’s from Texas, I can tell,’” Langley continued. This line became the hook for the song, sparking an immediate connection between the songwriters.

“Literally that’s how we got that title,” Langley said. “And I was going to the restroom in between writes and I was singing, ‘She’s from Texas I can tell by the way she’s two-stepping ‘round the room’ and right when I said that, immediately Miranda was like, ‘Like the girl he went with.’”

A Hit is Born

The songwriting process moved quickly from there. According to Langley, the lyrics came together within 30 minutes, with Lambert excitedly contributing lines like, “He always loved Amarillo by morning.”

“I’ll never forget us getting, ‘He always loved Amarillo by morning. I should have taken …’ I remember Miranda like getting up and like jumping up and down, you grasp, like this, she’s from Texas,” Langley shared.

Langley immediately recognized the song’s potential. “So, when we got done writing that song, I said, ‘This is going to be the lead single of the record,’” she recalled.

“Choosin’ Texas” and Dandelion

“Choosin’ Texas” is the lead single from Langley’s upcoming sophomore album, Dandelion, set to be released on April 10. The song’s success has been remarkable, marking Langley’s first-ever appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 and solidifying her position as a rising star in country music.

Who is Ella Langley?

Ella Langley, born Elizabeth Camille “Ella” Langley, is a 26-year-old singer-songwriter from Hope Hull, Alabama. She is the daughter of Jason and Heather Langley and has three siblings. While Langley hails from Alabama, it was a story from Texas native Miranda Lambert that ultimately inspired her chart-topping hit.