Ella Langley nabbed five awards on Sunday – including female artist of the year – at the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards.
The 27-year-old vocalist also performed at the event, which was held in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
The Hope Hull, Alabama native was named artist-songwriter of the year while her track Choosin’ Texas claimed the honors for song of the year and single of the year.
In addition, Don’t Mind if I Do, Langley’s collab with Riley Green, was named music event of the year.
In her speech for song of the year, the Weren’t for the Wind artist said she was ‘at a loss for words’ amid the occasion.
‘I’m trying to get to say something but I can’t,’ an emotional Langley told the crowd as she set an ACM record for most wins in a year by a single artist.
Ella Langley, 27, nabbed five awards on Sunday – including female artist of the year – at the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards
The vocalist performed at the event in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena
The You Look Like You Love Me singer, accepting the honors for female artist of the year, named three of the four women she was nominated against – Lainey Wilson, Miranda Lambert and Kelsea Ballerini. (Megan Moroney was also nominated.)
‘Thank you to the women in this category – to the women in this life,’ she said. ‘This is a weird thing to do.
‘And today, I was having a strange day … I walked right into Lainey’s room and she hugged me.’
Langley said that ‘and all of a sudden, here comes Miranda Lambert in her pink hat … Kelsea, thank you so much for lovin’ on me.’
She declared, ‘I would not be standing up here without the encouragement of so many women.
‘Thank you to the women – I would not be standing up here without them – so, thank you.’
The upstart country music artist also thanked her ‘family, for showing up and being weird as always’ and Jesus Christ ‘for letting me do this for a living.’
Langley also played an acoustic rendition of her track Be Her in a performance at the event, which had been streamed on Prime Video.
Langley, accepting the honors for female artist of the year, named three of the four women she was nominated against
Don’t Mind if I Do, Langley’s collab with Riley Green, was named music event of the year.
The Weren’t for the Wind artist delivered an emotional set of speeches on Sunday
Kelsea Ballerini, Langley, Miranda Lambert and Lainey Wilson posed for a shot at the show
The Weren’t for the Wind artist posed with her trophies on the successful evening
The rising star had been nominated for seven overall honors at the show, which Shania Twain hosted.
Langley at the show was outfitted in a bridal white corset dress with a high neck and low back.
Green expressed his appreciation to Langley for her work on their track Don’t Mind if I Do in their acceptance speech for music event of the year.
‘I’ll start by thanking my very lovely and talented duet partner, Miss Ella Langley, for being a part of this song,’ he said. ‘I wrote this song and knew there was something special about it.’
Green said that when they recorded the song ‘in Nashville, Tennessee, in the studio, [Langley] showed up in her pajamas and sang what you hear on the track.’
Langley said in reply, ‘I had on jeans and a T-shirt, thank you very much.’
Green added, ‘She might sleep in those, I don’t know. But I knew that it was never gonna get any better than that.
He said, ‘I’m so proud of how far you’ve come, and you continue to surprise everybody with everything you do in your career.
‘More than anything, I’m really proud of how you represent our home state of Alabama.’
The rising star had been nominated for seven overall honors at the show
Langley at the show was outfitted in a bridal white corset dress with a high neck and low back
The Alabama-born entertainer set an ACM record for most wins in a year by a single artist
The night’s big winners, Ella Langley and Cody Johnson, were seen embracing at the venue
Cody Johnson, 38, was another big winner in Vegas on Sunday, as he was named entertainer of the year; and male artist of the year.
He said the former honor was dedicated to fellow artist and nominee Luke Combs, citing his passion for the craft.
‘There’s a man that was up for this award that I personally watched devote his life to country music, Johnson said.
Johnson recalled how he was on hand ‘in Australia when [Combs’] wife gave birth to one of their sons.
‘And I watched the anguish, I watched the defeat on his face for not being there, because he was across the world playing music in a sold-out arena.’
Johnson said that despite missing out on the milestone, Combs persevered and impressed him with his artistry.
‘The next night, right after,’ said Johnson, ‘I watched him get on stage and absolutely murder the stage, and go on stage and play country music and preach the message of country music to a bunch of Australians across the world.’
Cody Johnson, 38, was named entertainer of the year; and male artist of the year
Johnson dedicated one of his awards to and nominee Luke Combs, citing his passion
Johnson was posed with Blake Shelton at the event stemming from Las Vegas
Lainey Wilson seen performing at the show on Sunday
Miranda Lambert was a double winner on the night in Las Vegas
He concluded: ‘So, tonight I want to dedicate my first entertainer of the year award to my buddy, Luke Combs I love you, brother.’
Johnson added, ‘Without sounding too cliché, I will say the rise has been worth the falls.’
Twain told the crowd that the contemporary genre was soaring with the eclectic mix of artists.
‘What a time it is in country music – our songs and storytellers are everywhere from your local honky tonk to this global stage and tonight we get to celebrate it all together,’ Twain said.
Johnson, Miranda Lambert, and Stephen Wilson Jr. each went home with two awards apiece.
Other notable named who claimed honors Sunday included Avery Anna, Brooks & Dunn, Jessie Jo Dillon, Parker McCollum, Riley Green, The Red Clay Strays and Tucker Wetmore.
The award show was packed with with 17 musical performances from a variety of superstars in the genre – such as Lainey Wilson, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton and Kacey Musgraves.
Other acts to perform at Sunday’s show included Carter Faith, Cody Johnson, Dan + Shay, Ella Langley, Jordan Davis, Kane Brown, Lee Ann Womack, Little Big Town, Parker McCollum, Riley Green, The Red Clay Strays, Thomas Rhett, and Zach Top.
Kacey Musgraves performed Dry Spell at Sunday’s ACM Awards
Zach Top seen taking the stage in Las Vegas on Sunday
Both the best new female and male artists, Avery Anna and Tucker Wetmore, were among the acts to take the stage on Sunday
Host Shania Twain told the crowd that the contemporary genre was soaring with the eclectic mix of artists
Both the best new female and male artists, Avery Anna and Tucker Wetmore, were among the acts to take the stage on Sunday.
Brooks & Dunn’s win for duo of the year marked the 18th time they’ve claimed the honors.
‘I don’t know why you aren’t getting sick of us,’ Kix Brooks said, ‘but God bless you for hanging with us, because we love it with y’all.’
The Academy of Country Music is slated to return to Las Vegas in 2027 for its 62nd ACM Awards.
