In a heartfelt tribute to the women in country music, Ella Langley took the stage at the 2026 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday night to accept the Female Artist of the Year award. As she began her speech, she seemed at a loss for words. "I'm trying to say something, but I can't," she said. "Thank you. To the women in this category, to the women in this life, this is a weird thing to do. Today I was having a strange day. I don't know what it is about awards, but I have strange days in the mornings here."
Continuing her speech, Ella praised her fellow nominees, including Megan Moroney, who was unable to attend the annual event. "I walked right into Lainey's room, and I just got emotional," she said. "She hugged me, wrapped me up, and started praying for me. And then all of a sudden, here comes Miranda Lambert in her little pink hat." She added, "I would not be standing up here without just the encouragement of so many women. Kelsea, thank you so much for loving me."
In a touching moment, Ella also gave a shout-out to her family. "Thank you to my parents for believing in me and my family for showing up and being weird as always, so it keeps me humble," she said. "Thank you, Jesus, for letting me do this for a living. Thank you to the ACMs." She concluded by saying, "Thank you to the women. I would not be standing up here without that. So, thank you."
The 26-year-old and her producers - Luke Dick, Miranda Lambert, and Joybeth Taylor - also won Single of the Year and Song of the Year for "Choosin' Texas."
