Miranda Lambert always looks forward to taking the stage to perform Ella Langley’s blockbuster hit, Choosin’ Texas, for her audience.
In a recent chat on The New York Times’ Popcast podcast, the country singer-songwriter reflected on the track’s ascent, a song she co-wrote with Langley, Luke Dick, and Joybeth Taylor.
Lambert noted that fans frequently stop her after performances to ask why she didn’t record Choosin’ Texas herself, and she explained that it belongs to Langley and she’s glad to sing it live at concerts.
“I tell them, that’s an Ella song and I sing it every night and I love it,” she smiled. “And more than that, it’s about passing the torch. That’s the whole point. Like, go on and do the thing. I did the thing and I’m still doing it, and I want to come along for your ride, and you should come along for mine, and so should Lainey (Wilson) and so should all the Kacey (Musgraves). Like, let’s go. Let’s go. There are plenty of opportunities out there.”
She added that Choosin’ Texas almost seemed to write itself while they were in the studio.
“That song feels like a strand in our DNA. There’s a hint of nostalgia in it and it mirrors our love for country music,” the 42-year-old continued. “And what I love about the story in Choosin’ Texas is that the main character loses. The love interest didn’t really do anything wrong. She just didn’t win. I admire the vulnerability of that—and I think it’s a very relatable feeling for people who allow themselves to be that exposed.”
Choosin’ Texas spent 24 weeks perched at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, surpassing Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas Is You.
Lambert is currently promoting her tenth studio album, Crisco.
