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Country star Ella Langley has been crowned American Eagle’s “Denim Darling” less than a year after the brand faced backlash for enlisting Sydney Sweeney to represent the company.
On Wednesday, American Eagle announced their latest launch, American Eagle Jeans Country, featuring the award-winning artist. In July 2025, the brand launched “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans.”
The playful pun instantly sparked controversy online, with some critics arguing the “jeans” and “genes” wordplay carried racially charged implications.
The internet went into a frenzy after she spoke about genes being “passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color.”
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“My jeans are blue,” she added as the camera closed in on her eyes.
American Eagle isn’t letting backlash deter them from enlisting some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry to be the face of their brand. Although Langley only released her debut album in 2024, she has already won several CMA and ACM awards.
Below is everything to know about the rising country music star.
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Alabama roots
Langley was born in 1999 in Hope Hull, Alabama. She is one of four kids – the second-oldest child in her family.
In August 2024, Langley told Billboard that she always wanted to be a singer.
“My mom tells a story where my grandpa sits down at the piano and we’re going to do ‘Amazing Grace,’ and my mom’s trying to help me with the microphone and I’m 3 years old, and I’m like, ‘I got it. I know how to do it,’ and everyone in church is laughing. So this is what I’ve always wanted to do,” she told the outlet.
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On the “God’s Country” podcast in 2024, Langley was joined by her father who said she was always “so confident” in her ability to sing.
“This has been the plan for me my whole life,” Langley chimed in.
Langley noted that her love for music ran in the family.
“My grandpa was, I mean, he could sing. My grandma could sing. He could play every instrument by ear. Our family reunions, all of them would get together and everyone was singing. Music has just been a big part of our life on my dad’s side, but also my mom’s side,” the country star said.
Headed to Nashville
After high school, Langley left her small hometown in Alabama for Auburn University. After two years of school and countless nights playing at local bars, she dropped out of college and moved to Nashville, Tennessee.
“I had a boyfriend who was in music and then his manager… they were both moving to Nashville, and we’re going to live with Trey (Lewis). And I was like, well hell, I’m not staying here,” Langley said on the “God’s Country” podcast.
“So I called mom and dad and I said, ‘Hey, I think I want to drop out of school and move to Nashville. I’m just going to be in more debt anyways when I graduate. I mean, I’m going to go do this anyways. I would rather start it now.'”
Langley admitted it was bittersweet leaving her family behind in Alabama, but she knew it was the right next step for her music career.
“It’s been a cool journey of finding those people for me in town that I just love and love me and believe in me and I believe in them. And so that’s what’s really kept me going a lot through this. And obviously my family supports me the way that they do and just love me, but that’s the thing. Nobody has ever thought I was going to do anything else…If you ask any of my family, they’re like, ‘yeah, we all knew that this was what she was going to do.’ So there wasn’t ever really any question when I wanted to move,” she said on the podcast.
CMA and ACM wins
Langley quickly shot to fame after releasing her first No. 1 hit, “You Look Like You Love Me” featuring Riley Green.
Ella had a historic night at the 60th ACM Awards in May, winning five trophies — the most of any first-time nominee. She took home new female artist of the year, single of the year, music event of the year and visual media of the year for her song with Green.
Langley and Green’s song also performed well at the 59th Country Music Association Awards (CMAs), taking home single of the year, song of the year, music video of the year and musical event of the year.
Stagecoach
Late last year, it was announced that Langley would perform on the first day of Stagecoach on April 24 — marking a huge accomplishment for the young country singer.
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The festival will occur shortly after Langley releases her sophomore album, “Dandelion,” on April 10.
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“So excited to finally announce that my sophomore album ‘Dandelion’ will be out April 10th & the title track is yours this Friday! Welcome to Dandelionland 💛,” Langley captioned a post on Instagram in January. She will going on “The Dandelion Tour” from May to August with dates in the United States.
Langley released her debut album, “Hungover,” in 2024. The 14-track project features her viral hit “You Look Like You Love Me” (feat. Riley Green) as well as “Nicotine” and “Paint The Town Blue.”
American Eagle
After nearly two years of rising to superstardom, Langley has reached global fame by being the new face of American Eagle.
“The partnership between Ella and AE reflects the growing crossover between fashion and country culture, particularly among Gen Z, where authenticity, nostalgia, and effortless personal style continue to resonate,” a spokesperson for the company told Fox News Digital. “Known for her laid-back, confident approach to dressing, Ella brings a natural, lived-in energy to classic American Eagle staples for her first-ever major fashion campaign.”
The “Choosin’ Texas” singer told People that she grew up wearing American Eagle jeans, so this campaign was an easy yes.
“I have these photos growing up wearing American Eagle shorts that my mom bedazzled herself. It was the first pair of denim I loved,” she told the outlet. “American Eagle has always been about being yourself, and that’s something I really try to get across in my music. My style in day-to-day life is pretty laid-back, a little outdoorsy, and always about comfort, so working with a brand that celebrates that felt right.”
If Langley could go back in time and give her younger self any advice, she would say “to keep working hard and doing everything I possibly can to make my dreams come true.”
Langley continued, “Every show I’ve played and every song I’ve written has led me to this moment of releasing ‘Dandelion,’ and it means the world to me to do what I love and tell my story.”
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