July 22, 2025 • 22 mins
In this episode, Wayne D sits down with rising country star Ella Langley for a candid and entertaining conversation. Ella opens up about life on the road while touring with Riley Green, sharing behind-the-scenes stories, lessons learned, and the wild moments that come with life on tour. They also dive into the topic of tattoo regret—yes, she has one—and the story behind it is as hilarious as it is relatable. Plus, Ella talks about her creative process, her Alabama roots, and what’s next on her musical journey.Whether you're a longtime fan or just discovering Ella, this episode is packed with laughs, honesty, and a whole lot of Southern charm.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I gotta tell y'all, we're excited to have her in
here because the show last night, she apparently shaved her
mustache already. That thing came out quick and.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Yeah, what what?
Speaker 1 (00:12):
So you're you're doing the tour with Riley right now?
It looks like from people's social videos, you all are
having the time of your lives.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
We're not boring people.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
What made you pull do the mustache deal last night?
Or have you been doing that? Well?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
I don't know if you've noticed, but Riley has a mustache.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
I prefer when he took it off.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Yeah, well this has been a thing for a minute.
So I bought two hundred and fifty mustaches at the
beginning of tour.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Amazon.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Of course, it's up Amazon, plug me up. You know
what I mean, right hall the fake mustache plugs. But
I bought two hundred and fifty of them, and I
told him. I was like, I have a trick I'm
gonna do later we shook hands on prank Wars. Because
this is our second tour together. I'm like, we gotta
gotta amp it up boring around here, let's spice it
(01:01):
up a little. So anyways, last night, I don't know
why I had the inkling that that was the night
I was gonna do the mustache bit, And so then
I threw all the mustaches out, like I was literally
just like.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
It's rain and man hallelujah.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Or like that. You know, yeah, like that too, and
anyway you want it, really, anyway.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
You want it, let's just think through the interview.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Yeah that's all I do for a living. But anyway,
so yeah, I threw all the mustaches out. And then
what was so funny is so I had to go
up there for the game to a show because I
want to see how many people put the mustaches on.
Like I was really encouraging the crowd throw out my
show to like put them on, but like save it
because they get sweaty and they're gonna fall down, Like
(01:43):
save it for the when he walks out there, and
so before the show started, his intro tracks going, and
I'll like lean out where just the fan the pit
can see me, and I'm like put him on. Like
I'm like put him on, and all these girls start
like putting their mustache. Shazon man are putting mustaches over
their mustaches. So Ralegh gets some of it. This his
(02:07):
first song. He's kind of looking out in the crowd,
like I don't know if he notices yet, literally, like
the whole pit is mustaches. And he starts pointing, laughing,
and he looks back at me and he looks me
and he just catches me in the eye and I'm
look him dead, asking the eye with no.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
I'll tell you this tour. Maybe the end prank is
you have a mustache tattoo. You get a mustache tattoo.
That's too far, too far, my bad. I'm a back up.
I'm a backup a minute. What's this tour bit?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
What's this bit? Like?
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Hang on? I was offensive? Were but you're not afraid
of tattoos? You have a few.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
No, I'm definitely afraid of him. I hate them all
the much. That's why I have this giant asked tequila tattoo.
Me does that sick? It is? It's awesome?
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Let me ask uh? And And I wasn't an asse this,
but you said your mom's here, and we don't get
it doesn't turn into family affair every now and again
in here. So we're glad your mother said, I want
to ask what's Mom's least favorite tattoo? And you can't
say all of them.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
No, she does not hate my tattoos. My mom has tattoos.
My mom's a cool mom. Oh okay, she was like hippie,
had half her head shaved the other blue. When she
was younger, she's kind of rebellious. Mom's from Michigan, so
she's like spunky and you know, cool. I don't know.
So she was like every time I got a tattoo,
she's like, I love it. My dad's like, what's wrong
(03:32):
with you? Why? What if you wanted to teach Sunday school?
And I was like, well, yes, God would let me.
If I have tattoos, I would burn it down. I
was kind of making a joke one time. He did
say something it's kind of offensive. Not really, it's just
kind of crass. My dad when he's angry, like I'm
pretty sure he uses like the most extreme version of
(03:54):
hyperbole that he can to make me giggle, which then
pisses him off more. And he's been doing it since
I was a kid. I got a couple of spankings
because of that, no doubt, because you get you laugh
when your dad's getting mad at you and he's like
you over ring your damn it. Anyways, that's why i'm
you know, tough these days and got a good sense
of humor. Any whosel So my dad when he's like,
(04:17):
gave me a rule. He's like, Ella, when you leave
the house, do not get tattoos. And I did immediately,
And then I think when I got this bumblebee, which
I got for.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
My mom, Actually, is that the first one ever?
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Right there? No, the first one was this trouble clef.
I got it, I'm pretty sure two months after I
left the house. And then I got this one like
a year later. And then I got into my band,
started to have a bunch of guys with tattoos, and
then you know, co.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Wetzel, he's not the best influence for something.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
No, no flash tats everywhere. That's the tequila shot. That's
his full. My dad was like, Ella, yeah, yeah, you
know what, why don't you just you know what, let's
just tattoo ball sack right on your flour? How about
how about that? How about that? Whyn't you just do
it all the way? Go all the way?
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Your reply was.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
And I said, Dan, I'm pretty sure a bumblebee in
a ballsack is much different. But if that's how you're
trying to explain to me that you don't like what
I did. I can understand, but I can assure you
I will not get a ballsack on one for it.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
I tell you something I'm very proud of in this moment.
I've been on the radio for twenty two years. All right,
I've done I'm not bleeping it out. But here's the deal.
I've done a lot of interviews guys and girls. No
one's ever said ball sack like this is something I'm
gonna we're gonna have. We're gonna get a plaque put on.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Damn, I'm kind of tired.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
At four oh three pm on June twentieth, Ella Langley said,
pointing at right, I'm looking at a clock. We're gonna
put a plaque on the wall.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Oh okay, I'm scared. People don't forget about that.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
No, we're never gonna forget when Ella Langley said.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Balls all right, I say that real life. I actually
think I have a video of it on TikTok so
I explained that story.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Well, okay, well, I'm sure we'll clip this and tell you.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
I can't wait. I'm sure it wasn't seen enough, you know,
why not bring it on back?
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Uh? What is the toughest part about about having a
life when it comes to social media? Because now that
the mustache deal with the show last night, I saw
on social media, right, if a fan runs into you
at Kroger, they're recording or taking a picture, right, So,
what's the toughest part about trying to be like Ella
(06:33):
Langley and then like every day Ella?
Speaker 2 (06:36):
M what's the toughest part about that?
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Because everybody wants You're to the point now where your
your career took off so fast, everybody wants something from
you all the time.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Yeah. I think it's I've the team that I have
around me and my family and my friends that I
have kind of a close circle in that way, and
not a one of them are yes and at all.
I mean, couldn't be any less of them. And I
like get aggravated when people are too like you sounded awesome.
I'm like, no, I didn't, I sound like shit. Tell
(07:09):
me that, damn. And I think that keeps me grounded.
But it is weird when you're, you know, going around
and someone's like, I'm gonna throw up on your shoos
because you're you know what. I'm like, Bro, It's okay,
you know, like I'm so new to that that I'm
like learning how to like, you know, Randon' is like, oh,
you've never clean throw up off your shoes?
Speaker 1 (07:29):
What?
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Welcome to the club?
Speaker 1 (07:31):
You know?
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Like I think that's just like I'm trying to the
women I think about it, or like maybe I get
like weirded out or cause it is weird when you're
walking through and you're like somebody's talking to you and
you're like, do they know? Maybe they don't know, and
then they do something You're like, yeah, they know. Like
I was at the airport and we were flying around
in Canada and I had just taken them a fun
(07:52):
fruit snack, a good sized one, you know, and I
was just telling them about food by the foot for sure. Yeah,
And I just was telling my security. I was like,
do that thing just we were going through. So we
were going through security when it kicked in, which is
fine whatever, And then as I told him that this,
I was like, ma'am, can I pull you out? Can
I pull you out of the line for a second?
(08:13):
I guess. So I watched over there and she is
like going through my bag had this vapor in there.
She's like this sounds great. And then like throws it
down and I was like, that's terrible. I'm so scared
right now. I'm like, this is it. I was looking
at it secured, girl was sweating and I was like,
I'm gonna in the morning. I was like, this is it.
This is so I go down. This is it for me.
I knew it was gonna be an airport. I knew.
(08:33):
I said the whole time he was gonna be an airport.
And then she's like, and actually, my daughter was at
the show tonight and I was like, well, she did
not talk like that because we were in Canada, but
that's just my voice for people. I guess yeah, And
I was like immediately, I was like, oh god, you
want me sign something for you? You know you want
to do that? She was like, yeah, that would be awesome.
So I did. I made a video for her daughter
(08:55):
and signed something. And then I was like, thanks for
coming to the show.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
You're like, just don't post this please. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
And then I was like and now I still have
to go through security, Like are you kidding me? Can
you just frisk me up at this point and let
me get to the lounge?
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Did you you asked to be okay?
Speaker 2 (09:09):
No, that was just a joke.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
Oh god, that's it all right.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Anyway, the tour.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
We caught up with Riley literally just a couple of
days ago. He sat in here and he was talking
about the tour has been more successful than even he
hoped it would be. So from your eyes on this tour,
do you can you say the same thing.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
I try not to set massive expectations for things. Yeah,
because I get my heart broken and then I get sad.
So I knew that. I think with the song, I mean,
come on, the song did insane things last year, and
then for us to go on tour again, you know
that's kind of doesn't happen all the time with a
song that we had, that doesn't happen all the time.
So I've been I mean, it was so intrigued to
see what the crowds would be like. And they're insane,
(09:54):
like it is so much fun. It's a great it's
a great crowd. I mean, it's definitely a different vibe
a little bit from last year. It's the the energy
and there's a little like kind of and he's the
openers that go before me, all of them have been awesome.
Jake Worthington was out with us in the beginning. Love
that guy.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
He's great, every crazy underrated. His guitar skills are awesome too.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Yeah, just like listening to him talk makes me feel
like I'm at home and I'm like, I can do that.
Forevery he always goes a woman, and so it talks
to me and goes, oh a woman, Oh a woman.
You sang amazing. I love how you sang. I love you.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
Jake best Buds is obviously the biggest plus is a
country music fan is to go to this tour one
of the biggest songs that came out in the past
couple of years. Uh, you guys and will end up
doing together. Does it make it harder for you as
an artist to move past that song?
Speaker 2 (10:44):
No, No, because that song is its own thing, you know.
I think like each record is its own thing. And
then like there's that thing. I'm I'm all right, you know,
I've eaten enough mac and cheese for a long time,
Like it's time for like different stuff, and each record
will be a different little thing. And so that song,
like I mean, out of the gate, I think the
only thing was like you know a little bit with radio,
(11:05):
It's like all right, like I've had an unfair example
of what a song does it dge radio? Like, I
don't know, Like so you know, trying to, I guess,
navigate that feeling of what it would be like to
send the next one and then setting weren't for the
win and then be like, Okay, people are grabbing onto
this one too. That's sick and it's just I don't know.
(11:28):
It's a test to think, like how much effort goes
into a record, you know, like not just here's twelve songs.
That's best, twelve songs I wrote in three months and
here it is.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
You know, Uh, this format is tough to get into,
and especially unfairly for female artists. You have not only
set fire with your first single, but the second single
kicked in the door just as hard as the first
one did. Does that make you proud as a country
(12:00):
artists to be doing that or does it make you
proud to be like like I'm in here kicking ass
with the boys representing for the ladies.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Both?
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Both?
Speaker 1 (12:09):
You know.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
When I started out, I started out in cover gig
world and not on Broadway, like I lived in Alabama.
I was going to Auburn. That's where I went run
out of high school, was going to college, went there
for two years, and I was playing cover gigs like
four hours I was running it, and there wasn't very
many women in that scene at all. And I don't know,
(12:32):
I just kind of didn't give a shit about like
if people are like, oh, you're a girls, I mean,
you know what I mean, Like, yeah, I guess, but
and I might have to work a little bit harder.
But it's like, once I get in there, it's all
on their the effort and the talent and the what
has gone into this artistry, you know, to sell the tickets.
I mean, proof is in the pudding. And that's kind
of always what I've left it up to. You know.
It's like I don't have to go around talking about
(12:53):
proving myself all the time if I just prove myself,
you know, if I just put out a song and
it's like, Okay, well I or my ass off on
that record and that song and my team did and
there wasn't It's not like we accidentally put those eighteen
songs together. You know, like we've been building this and
it's been building for a long time, so you know,
to get to a moment like we had with you
look like you love Me, and then now with Weren't
(13:15):
for the Wind and seeing what the tour is doing,
what my tour did. I mean, I've yet to play
a headline show that wasn't sold out, Like that's absolutely insane,
that's nuts to say, but it's badass. And I'm to
feel a room full of people for the first time
as a headliner where it is like a roar when
you walk out on stage, and you've been like imagining
(13:37):
this moment every time you've done the dishes your whole life.
You know, like every time you're in the shower, every
time you're in a long car ride, you're imagining what
it would be like to sing a song and have
these people be like, I love this song. And then
that shit just starts happening and you're like, yeah, this
is awesome. I'm really sleepy, but this is awesome. And
(13:58):
it just keeps growing and I'm just enjoying the journey.
I'm not in a rush to get anywhere or do anything,
and you know, just kind of doing it feels right
and putting out songs that I love and just learning
more about who I am as a person and an artist.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
We Tay and I got to introduce you at Riverfront
and it's funny because, uh we are we are both
fans of what you do. But she's like, like this
far away from buying to e merch a T shirt type.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
I have some merch down Street.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
She got you, she got you, got you.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
I know where they get it, you know.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
But it was so exciting too. We have we had
talked to you before early and uh, you look like
you love me. Uh the release, we got to talk
to you, catch up there and then to see you
play Riverfront, which was that capacity before you hit the stage,
which is wild. I don't think I think that happened
maybe one other time the entire weekend, which is nuts.
(14:56):
And hopefully that's something you got to like soak in.
Oh yeah, I do want to ask if you deleted
Dylan Marlow's contact after that attempt.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
No, no, no, And I need to put set the story
straight because let me give this man some credit. I
woke up Sunday morning, the day I was playing that,
and I said, and Riley was at the beach or something,
you know, like I knew he wasn't in town. We
had just played the show the night before and I
got in that morning and I was like, who the
(15:25):
hell's going to do? You look like you loved me
with me? And I was like, I guess I could
do it by myself. And then I was like who
can I get? And so I called a couple of
people and they're like, can't, can't, and I was like
all right, and then I was like, well, who's already
going to be there so I don't have to bother anyone.
And then I was like, oh, Dylan, Like that's my boy,
Like we we I mean one of my first artist
friends I made in town, and so I was like, yeah,
(15:46):
that'd be fun. I haven't sang on stage with him
so long, and so I called him like four hours
before we went on stage, and I was like, hey, Doug,
do you want to do you look like you love
me with me? He's like, I don't know it for real.
And I was like, that's fine. It's kind of a
funny song. If you go out and mess it up,
just make it up, just make up your own words.
It's like whatever you want to do, you know. He's
(16:09):
like sick and that man, he really did it, gave
it his all and like he could tell it like Natalie,
his wife, was like, I hate that song. Now. I've
listened to it so many times in the car over
the past four hours. I'm like, I can't understand that.
And then he came out there and it was just
like he got so close and I was trying to
act it out for him, and that was part of
the bit though, you know. And then you know the
(16:31):
long sleeve shirt can't sing and that was good and.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
I like that.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
So I don't know, I think that shit's funny, like
it can't ever be. I'm not a robot. He's not
a robot. Like sometimes, like getting to see live music
and live show, I think people get so used to
perfection because of social media that they forget that in
real life, things are not perfect. Humans are not perfect.
And it's kind of about like the experience, you know,
(16:56):
it's about like that's a version of that song that
only those people saw. You know, you saw it sure
on social media, but you saw there is different he was,
and I love dealing for that. So Dylan, thank you
for coming out and doing that song.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
He came out with so much confidence he did, and
I saw you kind of looking at him like okay,
all right. But then I'll saw you go. I saw
you look at him like, oh ship, no looking at We're.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Trying to help. I was. I was like a country
girls come in the eye, you know, like bangs saying
bangs and boots, bangs and boots.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
It was a cool experience. And obviously that has to
be a moment if you look over the last year
of your life, how things went at Riverfront has to
be a top moment for you. Outside of that, what
are moments that you're still kind of like, Wow, this
is this whole thing is working out, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Yeah, I mean, come on stadium. Me and my band
were out there, like is it this is? This is
like he felt comfortable up there, you know, and to
feel comfortable and stadium full of people like that, to
have that many people singing songs that you wrote, can't
beat that. I think the whole headline tour, you know,
(18:12):
I had just started. I did last fall, and then
I did eighteen shows in the spring before we started
with Riley. Yeah, they liked me on the road. I
live there pretty much when I'm an addict. So when
what I mean to playing shows like I literally it's
it's it's becomes an addiction. It really does, like the
life of it, and once you like do it for
(18:32):
so long, you just like that's how you live your life.
And then you're like you have a week Saturday off
and you're.
Speaker 1 (18:36):
Like, what do I do you?
Speaker 2 (18:42):
But yeah, so to get to do that and then
you know, with just like random things, people will tell me,
like come up to me and tell me how a
song affected them and like how they like they felt
like for the first time, like somebody understood a feeling
that they had, you know, And I've listened to songs
and felt that way. So that's an I made a
(19:04):
moment I think I cms that was getting up there
with Miranda Lambert on Kerosene. I was like, oh, this
is cool.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
So wild, and I got to tell you, like we
Tay and I both are very lucky this seat that
we sit in because we get to talk to and
interact with some of the best people doing country music.
Obviously you're very well placed in that in that sentence there,
and it's cool to watch these moments happen for people
that have worked so hard. Yeah, regardless of listen, sure
(19:37):
things have taken off quick over the last year on
the radio and evert. But it don't mean you haven't
been grinding long before we ever knew your name.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Yeah, well, I think there's so many. I mean, I mean,
God bless look out on where we are on Broadway
right now. That's what every one of these people are doing.
How many people pursue this job and I mean get
Some people pursued their whole life and get and reap
zero benefits and still do it. And I've met those people.
I played with those people. And for me, if I
(20:06):
never if this never blew up, if I was never
I would still be playing shows every weekend. I was
doing it before I was making money. I was doing
it when I was paying money to do this job.
I was there was a point of my career I
was actually paying money to do this job. And I
would do it again.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
You know the stories those people have. Now, let me
tell you the last thing I want to ask, and
I usually don't go this way, but since mom is here,
you told us moments that stand out for you. What
do you think is the moment that is your mother
is single most proud of over the last couple of years.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Probably my speech, I would say, maybe may be one
of my speeches up there or I don't know. It's
kind of a crazy viewpoint. I haven't thought about it
like that because of trickery.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
It's funny because, as I kind of emotional, my daughter's fourteen,
and she has done she's been trying to do the
choir thing and she went for couldn't land a solo
to save her life till she ended the school year
with two of them. So like from a parent, to
watch your child chase something that they're succeeding at.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
I think that I take it back my answer. I
think it couldn't be any further actually from the speeches.
I think it's I think, like the way that I'm
taking care of myself now and like, you know, becoming
a better woman every day and every time I get
knocked down, the way that I get back up, and
the way that I hold myself as a human and
(21:33):
a woman, and you know, standing up for myself. I
think that's something that she's always taught me, and she's
not afraid to send up for herself. And that's I
don't know if you could guess that, but it's a
strong suit of mind, you.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
Know, and we're proud of it. We can see, we
can see it as country music fans that Ella's got
it together and it's taking care of herself.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Well, I don't know. Got it together is a little
stretched fair.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
I was trying to be nice with that first part.
The last part I meant more than the.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
I'm working on getting it together, Hella.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
Thank you for the time, the day there, having me
I gotta tell y'all, we're excited to have her in
here because the show last night, she apparently shaved her
mustache already. That thing came out quick and.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Yeah, what what?
Speaker 1 (00:12):
So you're you're doing the tour with Riley right now?
It looks like from people's social videos, you all are
having the time of your lives.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
We're not boring people.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
What made you pull do the mustache deal last night?
Or have you been doing that? Well?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
I don't know if you've noticed, but Riley has a mustache.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
I prefer when he took it off.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Yeah, well this has been a thing for a minute.
So I bought two hundred and fifty mustaches at the
beginning of tour.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Amazon.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Of course, it's up Amazon, plug me up. You know
what I mean, right hall the fake mustache plugs. But
I bought two hundred and fifty of them, and I
told him. I was like, I have a trick I'm
gonna do later we shook hands on prank Wars. Because
this is our second tour together. I'm like, we gotta
gotta amp it up boring around here, let's spice it
(01:01):
up a little. So anyways, last night, I don't know
why I had the inkling that that was the night
I was gonna do the mustache bit, And so then
I threw all the mustaches out, like I was literally
just like.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
It's rain and man hallelujah.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Or like that. You know, yeah, like that too, and
anyway you want it, really, anyway.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
You want it, let's just think through the interview.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Yeah that's all I do for a living. But anyway,
so yeah, I threw all the mustaches out. And then
what was so funny is so I had to go
up there for the game to a show because I
want to see how many people put the mustaches on.
Like I was really encouraging the crowd throw out my
show to like put them on, but like save it
because they get sweaty and they're gonna fall down, Like
(01:43):
save it for the when he walks out there, and
so before the show started, his intro tracks going, and
I'll like lean out where just the fan the pit
can see me, and I'm like put him on. Like
I'm like put him on, and all these girls start
like putting their mustache. Shazon man are putting mustaches over
their mustaches. So Ralegh gets some of it. This his
(02:07):
first song. He's kind of looking out in the crowd,
like I don't know if he notices yet, literally, like
the whole pit is mustaches. And he starts pointing, laughing,
and he looks back at me and he looks me
and he just catches me in the eye and I'm
look him dead, asking the eye with no.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
I'll tell you this tour. Maybe the end prank is
you have a mustache tattoo. You get a mustache tattoo.
That's too far, too far, my bad. I'm a back up.
I'm a backup a minute. What's this tour bit?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
What's this bit? Like?
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Hang on? I was offensive? Were but you're not afraid
of tattoos? You have a few.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
No, I'm definitely afraid of him. I hate them all
the much. That's why I have this giant asked tequila tattoo.
Me does that sick? It is? It's awesome?
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Let me ask uh? And And I wasn't an asse this,
but you said your mom's here, and we don't get
it doesn't turn into family affair every now and again
in here. So we're glad your mother said, I want
to ask what's Mom's least favorite tattoo? And you can't
say all of them.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
No, she does not hate my tattoos. My mom has tattoos.
My mom's a cool mom. Oh okay, she was like hippie,
had half her head shaved the other blue. When she
was younger, she's kind of rebellious. Mom's from Michigan, so
she's like spunky and you know, cool. I don't know.
So she was like every time I got a tattoo,
she's like, I love it. My dad's like, what's wrong
(03:32):
with you? Why? What if you wanted to teach Sunday school?
And I was like, well, yes, God would let me.
If I have tattoos, I would burn it down. I
was kind of making a joke one time. He did
say something it's kind of offensive. Not really, it's just
kind of crass. My dad when he's angry, like I'm
pretty sure he uses like the most extreme version of
(03:54):
hyperbole that he can to make me giggle, which then
pisses him off more. And he's been doing it since
I was a kid. I got a couple of spankings
because of that, no doubt, because you get you laugh
when your dad's getting mad at you and he's like
you over ring your damn it. Anyways, that's why i'm
you know, tough these days and got a good sense
of humor. Any whosel So my dad when he's like,
(04:17):
gave me a rule. He's like, Ella, when you leave
the house, do not get tattoos. And I did immediately,
And then I think when I got this bumblebee, which
I got for.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
My mom, Actually, is that the first one ever?
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Right there? No, the first one was this trouble clef.
I got it, I'm pretty sure two months after I
left the house. And then I got this one like
a year later. And then I got into my band,
started to have a bunch of guys with tattoos, and
then you know, co.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Wetzel, he's not the best influence for something.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
No, no flash tats everywhere. That's the tequila shot. That's
his full. My dad was like, Ella, yeah, yeah, you
know what, why don't you just you know what, let's
just tattoo ball sack right on your flour? How about
how about that? How about that? Whyn't you just do
it all the way? Go all the way?
Speaker 1 (05:05):
Your reply was.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
And I said, Dan, I'm pretty sure a bumblebee in
a ballsack is much different. But if that's how you're
trying to explain to me that you don't like what
I did. I can understand, but I can assure you
I will not get a ballsack on one for it.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
I tell you something I'm very proud of in this moment.
I've been on the radio for twenty two years. All right,
I've done I'm not bleeping it out. But here's the deal.
I've done a lot of interviews guys and girls. No
one's ever said ball sack like this is something I'm
gonna we're gonna have. We're gonna get a plaque put on.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Damn, I'm kind of tired.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
At four oh three pm on June twentieth, Ella Langley said,
pointing at right, I'm looking at a clock. We're gonna
put a plaque on the wall.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
Oh okay, I'm scared. People don't forget about that.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
No, we're never gonna forget when Ella Langley said.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Balls all right, I say that real life. I actually
think I have a video of it on TikTok so
I explained that story.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Well, okay, well, I'm sure we'll clip this and tell you.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
I can't wait. I'm sure it wasn't seen enough, you know,
why not bring it on back?
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Uh? What is the toughest part about about having a
life when it comes to social media? Because now that
the mustache deal with the show last night, I saw
on social media, right, if a fan runs into you
at Kroger, they're recording or taking a picture, right, So,
what's the toughest part about trying to be like Ella
(06:33):
Langley and then like every day Ella?
Speaker 2 (06:36):
M what's the toughest part about that?
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Because everybody wants You're to the point now where your
your career took off so fast, everybody wants something from
you all the time.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Yeah. I think it's I've the team that I have
around me and my family and my friends that I
have kind of a close circle in that way, and
not a one of them are yes and at all.
I mean, couldn't be any less of them. And I
like get aggravated when people are too like you sounded awesome.
I'm like, no, I didn't, I sound like shit. Tell
(07:09):
me that, damn. And I think that keeps me grounded.
But it is weird when you're, you know, going around
and someone's like, I'm gonna throw up on your shoos
because you're you know what. I'm like, Bro, It's okay,
you know, like I'm so new to that that I'm
like learning how to like, you know, Randon' is like, oh,
you've never clean throw up off your shoes?
Speaker 1 (07:29):
What?
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Welcome to the club?
Speaker 1 (07:31):
You know?
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Like I think that's just like I'm trying to the
women I think about it, or like maybe I get
like weirded out or cause it is weird when you're
walking through and you're like somebody's talking to you and
you're like, do they know? Maybe they don't know, and
then they do something You're like, yeah, they know. Like
I was at the airport and we were flying around
in Canada and I had just taken them a fun
(07:52):
fruit snack, a good sized one, you know, and I
was just telling them about food by the foot for sure. Yeah,
And I just was telling my security. I was like,
do that thing just we were going through. So we
were going through security when it kicked in, which is
fine whatever, And then as I told him that this,
I was like, ma'am, can I pull you out? Can
I pull you out of the line for a second?
(08:13):
I guess. So I watched over there and she is
like going through my bag had this vapor in there.
She's like this sounds great. And then like throws it
down and I was like, that's terrible. I'm so scared
right now. I'm like, this is it. I was looking
at it secured, girl was sweating and I was like,
I'm gonna in the morning. I was like, this is it.
This is so I go down. This is it for me.
I knew it was gonna be an airport. I knew.
(08:33):
I said the whole time he was gonna be an airport.
And then she's like, and actually, my daughter was at
the show tonight and I was like, well, she did
not talk like that because we were in Canada, but
that's just my voice for people. I guess yeah, And
I was like immediately, I was like, oh god, you
want me sign something for you? You know you want
to do that? She was like, yeah, that would be awesome.
So I did. I made a video for her daughter
(08:55):
and signed something. And then I was like, thanks for
coming to the show.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
You're like, just don't post this please. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
And then I was like and now I still have
to go through security, Like are you kidding me? Can
you just frisk me up at this point and let
me get to the lounge?
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Did you you asked to be okay?
Speaker 2 (09:09):
No, that was just a joke.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
Oh god, that's it all right.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Anyway, the tour.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
We caught up with Riley literally just a couple of
days ago. He sat in here and he was talking
about the tour has been more successful than even he
hoped it would be. So from your eyes on this tour,
do you can you say the same thing.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
I try not to set massive expectations for things. Yeah,
because I get my heart broken and then I get sad.
So I knew that. I think with the song, I mean,
come on, the song did insane things last year, and
then for us to go on tour again, you know
that's kind of doesn't happen all the time with a
song that we had, that doesn't happen all the time.
So I've been I mean, it was so intrigued to
see what the crowds would be like. And they're insane,
(09:54):
like it is so much fun. It's a great it's
a great crowd. I mean, it's definitely a different vibe
a little bit from last year. It's the the energy
and there's a little like kind of and he's the
openers that go before me, all of them have been awesome.
Jake Worthington was out with us in the beginning. Love
that guy.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
He's great, every crazy underrated. His guitar skills are awesome too.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
Yeah, just like listening to him talk makes me feel
like I'm at home and I'm like, I can do that.
Forevery he always goes a woman, and so it talks
to me and goes, oh a woman, Oh a woman.
You sang amazing. I love how you sang. I love you.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
Jake best Buds is obviously the biggest plus is a
country music fan is to go to this tour one
of the biggest songs that came out in the past
couple of years. Uh, you guys and will end up
doing together. Does it make it harder for you as
an artist to move past that song?
Speaker 2 (10:44):
No, No, because that song is its own thing, you know.
I think like each record is its own thing. And
then like there's that thing. I'm I'm all right, you know,
I've eaten enough mac and cheese for a long time,
Like it's time for like different stuff, and each record
will be a different little thing. And so that song,
like I mean, out of the gate, I think the
only thing was like you know a little bit with radio,
(11:05):
It's like all right, like I've had an unfair example
of what a song does it dge radio? Like, I
don't know, Like so you know, trying to, I guess,
navigate that feeling of what it would be like to
send the next one and then setting weren't for the
win and then be like, Okay, people are grabbing onto
this one too. That's sick and it's just I don't know.
(11:28):
It's a test to think, like how much effort goes
into a record, you know, like not just here's twelve songs.
That's best, twelve songs I wrote in three months and
here it is.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
You know, Uh, this format is tough to get into,
and especially unfairly for female artists. You have not only
set fire with your first single, but the second single
kicked in the door just as hard as the first
one did. Does that make you proud as a country
(12:00):
artists to be doing that or does it make you
proud to be like like I'm in here kicking ass
with the boys representing for the ladies.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Both?
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Both?
Speaker 1 (12:09):
You know.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
When I started out, I started out in cover gig
world and not on Broadway, like I lived in Alabama.
I was going to Auburn. That's where I went run
out of high school, was going to college, went there
for two years, and I was playing cover gigs like
four hours I was running it, and there wasn't very
many women in that scene at all. And I don't know,
(12:32):
I just kind of didn't give a shit about like
if people are like, oh, you're a girls, I mean,
you know what I mean, Like, yeah, I guess, but
and I might have to work a little bit harder.
But it's like, once I get in there, it's all
on their the effort and the talent and the what
has gone into this artistry, you know, to sell the tickets.
I mean, proof is in the pudding. And that's kind
of always what I've left it up to. You know.
It's like I don't have to go around talking about
(12:53):
proving myself all the time if I just prove myself,
you know, if I just put out a song and
it's like, Okay, well I or my ass off on
that record and that song and my team did and
there wasn't It's not like we accidentally put those eighteen
songs together. You know, like we've been building this and
it's been building for a long time, so you know,
to get to a moment like we had with you
look like you love Me, and then now with Weren't
(13:15):
for the Wind and seeing what the tour is doing,
what my tour did. I mean, I've yet to play
a headline show that wasn't sold out, Like that's absolutely insane,
that's nuts to say, but it's badass. And I'm to
feel a room full of people for the first time
as a headliner where it is like a roar when
you walk out on stage, and you've been like imagining
(13:37):
this moment every time you've done the dishes your whole life.
You know, like every time you're in the shower, every
time you're in a long car ride, you're imagining what
it would be like to sing a song and have
these people be like, I love this song. And then
that shit just starts happening and you're like, yeah, this
is awesome. I'm really sleepy, but this is awesome. And
(13:58):
it just keeps growing and I'm just enjoying the journey.
I'm not in a rush to get anywhere or do anything,
and you know, just kind of doing it feels right
and putting out songs that I love and just learning
more about who I am as a person and an artist.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
We Tay and I got to introduce you at Riverfront
and it's funny because, uh we are we are both
fans of what you do. But she's like, like this
far away from buying to e merch a T shirt type.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
I have some merch down Street.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
She got you, she got you, got you.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
I know where they get it, you know.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
But it was so exciting too. We have we had
talked to you before early and uh, you look like
you love me. Uh the release, we got to talk
to you, catch up there and then to see you
play Riverfront, which was that capacity before you hit the stage,
which is wild. I don't think I think that happened
maybe one other time the entire weekend, which is nuts.
(14:56):
And hopefully that's something you got to like soak in.
Oh yeah, I do want to ask if you deleted
Dylan Marlow's contact after that attempt.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
No, no, no, And I need to put set the story
straight because let me give this man some credit. I
woke up Sunday morning, the day I was playing that,
and I said, and Riley was at the beach or something,
you know, like I knew he wasn't in town. We
had just played the show the night before and I
got in that morning and I was like, who the
(15:25):
hell's going to do? You look like you loved me
with me? And I was like, I guess I could
do it by myself. And then I was like who
can I get? And so I called a couple of
people and they're like, can't, can't, and I was like
all right, and then I was like, well, who's already
going to be there so I don't have to bother anyone.
And then I was like, oh, Dylan, Like that's my boy,
Like we we I mean one of my first artist
friends I made in town, and so I was like, yeah,
(15:46):
that'd be fun. I haven't sang on stage with him
so long, and so I called him like four hours
before we went on stage, and I was like, hey, Doug,
do you want to do you look like you love
me with me? He's like, I don't know it for real.
And I was like, that's fine. It's kind of a
funny song. If you go out and mess it up,
just make it up, just make up your own words.
It's like whatever you want to do, you know. He's
(16:09):
like sick and that man, he really did it, gave
it his all and like he could tell it like Natalie,
his wife, was like, I hate that song. Now. I've
listened to it so many times in the car over
the past four hours. I'm like, I can't understand that.
And then he came out there and it was just
like he got so close and I was trying to
act it out for him, and that was part of
the bit though, you know. And then you know the
(16:31):
long sleeve shirt can't sing and that was good and.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
I like that.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
So I don't know, I think that shit's funny, like
it can't ever be. I'm not a robot. He's not
a robot. Like sometimes, like getting to see live music
and live show, I think people get so used to
perfection because of social media that they forget that in
real life, things are not perfect. Humans are not perfect.
And it's kind of about like the experience, you know,
(16:56):
it's about like that's a version of that song that
only those people saw. You know, you saw it sure
on social media, but you saw there is different he was,
and I love dealing for that. So Dylan, thank you
for coming out and doing that song.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
He came out with so much confidence he did, and
I saw you kind of looking at him like okay,
all right. But then I'll saw you go. I saw
you look at him like, oh ship, no looking at We're.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Trying to help. I was. I was like a country
girls come in the eye, you know, like bangs saying
bangs and boots, bangs and boots.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
It was a cool experience. And obviously that has to
be a moment if you look over the last year
of your life, how things went at Riverfront has to
be a top moment for you. Outside of that, what
are moments that you're still kind of like, Wow, this
is this whole thing is working out, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Yeah, I mean, come on stadium. Me and my band
were out there, like is it this is? This is
like he felt comfortable up there, you know, and to
feel comfortable and stadium full of people like that, to
have that many people singing songs that you wrote, can't
beat that. I think the whole headline tour, you know,
(18:12):
I had just started. I did last fall, and then
I did eighteen shows in the spring before we started
with Riley. Yeah, they liked me on the road. I
live there pretty much when I'm an addict. So when
what I mean to playing shows like I literally it's
it's it's becomes an addiction. It really does, like the
life of it, and once you like do it for
(18:32):
so long, you just like that's how you live your life.
And then you're like you have a week Saturday off
and you're.
Speaker 1 (18:36):
Like, what do I do you?
Speaker 2 (18:42):
But yeah, so to get to do that and then
you know, with just like random things, people will tell me,
like come up to me and tell me how a
song affected them and like how they like they felt
like for the first time, like somebody understood a feeling
that they had, you know, And I've listened to songs
and felt that way. So that's an I made a
(19:04):
moment I think I cms that was getting up there
with Miranda Lambert on Kerosene. I was like, oh, this
is cool.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
So wild, and I got to tell you, like we
Tay and I both are very lucky this seat that
we sit in because we get to talk to and
interact with some of the best people doing country music.
Obviously you're very well placed in that in that sentence there,
and it's cool to watch these moments happen for people
that have worked so hard. Yeah, regardless of listen, sure
(19:37):
things have taken off quick over the last year on
the radio and evert. But it don't mean you haven't
been grinding long before we ever knew your name.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Yeah, well, I think there's so many. I mean, I mean,
God bless look out on where we are on Broadway
right now. That's what every one of these people are doing.
How many people pursue this job and I mean get
Some people pursued their whole life and get and reap
zero benefits and still do it. And I've met those people.
I played with those people. And for me, if I
(20:06):
never if this never blew up, if I was never
I would still be playing shows every weekend. I was
doing it before I was making money. I was doing
it when I was paying money to do this job.
I was there was a point of my career I
was actually paying money to do this job. And I
would do it again.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
You know the stories those people have. Now, let me
tell you the last thing I want to ask, and
I usually don't go this way, but since mom is here,
you told us moments that stand out for you. What
do you think is the moment that is your mother
is single most proud of over the last couple of years.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Probably my speech, I would say, maybe may be one
of my speeches up there or I don't know. It's
kind of a crazy viewpoint. I haven't thought about it
like that because of trickery.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
It's funny because, as I kind of emotional, my daughter's fourteen,
and she has done she's been trying to do the
choir thing and she went for couldn't land a solo
to save her life till she ended the school year
with two of them. So like from a parent, to
watch your child chase something that they're succeeding at.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
I think that I take it back my answer. I
think it couldn't be any further actually from the speeches.
I think it's I think, like the way that I'm
taking care of myself now and like, you know, becoming
a better woman every day and every time I get
knocked down, the way that I get back up, and
the way that I hold myself as a human and
(21:33):
a woman, and you know, standing up for myself. I
think that's something that she's always taught me, and she's
not afraid to send up for herself. And that's I
don't know if you could guess that, but it's a
strong suit of mind, you.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
Know, and we're proud of it. We can see, we
can see it as country music fans that Ella's got
it together and it's taking care of herself.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Well, I don't know. Got it together is a little
stretched fair.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
I was trying to be nice with that first part.
The last part I meant more than the.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
I'm working on getting it together, Hella.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
Thank you for the time, the day there, having me
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