Encompassing feelings of nostalgia, her Alabama roots and the complicated feelings that come with romantic and religious relationships, country singer Ella Langley released her third studio album on Friday, April 10, titled “Dandelion.”
“As far as me as a songwriter goes, I’ve never poured more of myself into a project, into a song [or] into an idea,” Langley said in a video posted across her social media platforms. “This record has fallen out so beautifully. The people I’ve gotten to work with on this record are absolutely insane.”
The album opens up with the first song Langley ever learned how to play, “Froggy Went A Courtin’ – Intro,” and ends with a song her grandfather sang to her as a child titled “Froggy Went A Courtin’ – Outro.” This led to a showcase of who she is and her roots.
Langley covered the first song by a female country artist to be No. 1 on the Billboard charts: the 1952 country song “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels,” which was originally sung by Kitty Wells and written by J.D. Miller. Similarly, Langley recently just obtained her first spot on the Billboard No. 1 chart with “Choosin’ Texas,” which has remained at No. 1 for five weeks. She beat Taylor Swift’s record from her 2012 hit song, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.”
The title track, “Dandelion,” feels like a drive with the windows down in the summertime as Langley sings about being true to your roots. With a melodic and catchy tune, it’s hard to get this song out of your head.
“[The songs] represent that feeling of you’re still figuring it out, but you’re trying to do it a little bit better each time,” Langley said in an interview with Apple Music.
There is only one song with a featured artist. Miranda Lambert is on the song “Butterfly Season,” which focuses on how it feels when you are changing and growing as a person. The chorus sings, “It’s butterfly season, I’m finding my wings / A good time for leaving behind the old me.” Langley has cited Lambert as a musical influence, with Lambert also being a co-writer on “Choosin’ Texas.” The song could easily be played during a coming-of-age movie and lead an audience to happy tears.
Growing up, Langley attended a southern Baptist church and has remained a Christian, but her relationship with her faith has not been linear. In her song “Speaking Terms,” she skillfully dives into the intricacies of feeling ignored by God and working on one’s faith.
Tying in her family with her music, the song titled “Bottom Of Your Boots” was inspired by Langley’s dad’s saying, “I love you from the bottom of my boots to the top of my hat.” The song itself is about wanting more from a romantic situationship and will leave listeners dancing and swaying at the same time.
One thing Langley knows how to do best is pull at listeners’ heart strings. With songs like “Last Call for Us” and “Broken,” she’s able to put words to the feeling of a romantic relationship being over and the grief that comes with the end. These two songs sit right next to each other and, in a way, are a melancholic, angsty pair.
Like a dandelion getting carried away by the wind but staying rooted in where it grew, Langley’s album balances change and identity, proving that she’s reflecting on her musical journey while still growing within it.
