Lambert performed the song over the weekend during a show in Thackerville, Oklahoma — marking the first time she’s ever sung it live, despite being a co-writer on the track. The moment surprised fans and added an extra layer of meaning to an already beloved song.
Originally released on October 17, “Choosin’ Texas” quickly climbed to No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart. In the song, Langley tells the story of losing a love who ultimately falls for a girl from Texas. While the lyrics carry heartbreak, the origin of the song is anything but heavy.
Before its release, Langley shared how the song came together — completely by accident — during a writers’ retreat the two attended last year. What started as casual conversation turned into songwriting lightning.
Lambert began telling Langley a wildly memorable story from her past.
“She told me she had a pet kangaroo,” Langley recalled. “She was driving down a dirt road with the kangaroo in the back seat and the dog in the front seat. There was a lot going on.”
The story only got better.
“She got pulled over with the kangaroo sitting in the passenger seat,” Langley continued. “And she said the lady cop was like, ‘Of course you’ve got Texas plates.’”
That moment immediately sparked inspiration.
“I was walking to the bathroom and started humming, ‘She’s from Texas, I can tell by the way he’s two-steppin’ around the room,’” Langley said. “Miranda was walking behind me and stopped me like, ‘Wait a minute…’ From there, the song basically wrote itself in about 30 minutes.”
Fast forward to Saturday, December 27, when Lambert took the stage dressed in a denim button-up and matching jeans, delivering the song with ease and authority. While staying true to the original lyrics, she couldn’t resist adding one final personal touch.
As she sang the closing lines —
“Drinkin’ Jack all by myself / He’s choosin’ Texas, I can tell” —
Lambert punctuated the moment with a grin and an extra line of Texas pride: “Dang right he is!”
Watch Miranda Lambert perform Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” in the video below.
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