Country star Ella Langley has won her first MTV Video Music Award, taking home the Best Country Song honor for her hit track “Choosin’ Texas” at the 2026 MTV VMAs on Sunday.
Langley shared her reaction on Instagram Story after the win, posting a photo of her VMA award with a heartfelt message about the moment.
“First VMA,” Langley wrote along with a teary-eyed emoji.
She added, “Knowing it’s fan voted makes it so much more special, thank you.”
The award marks a major moment for Langley, whose “Choosin’ Texas” has become one of the biggest country crossover hits of 2026.
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards took place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The ceremony marked the return of the VMAs to the Los Angeles area for the first time since 2017.
Ella Langley’s historic “Choosin’ Texas” run continues. pic.twitter.com/stAZ5BfkIf
— mydzn (@MadelaineDizon) September 28, 2026
Langley was competing in a Best Country Song category that featured a strong group of Nashville artists. Six of the seven nominees in the category were Nashville artists, including Kacey Musgraves for “Dry Spell,” Lainey Wilson for “Somewhere Over Laredo,” Luke Combs for “Back in the Saddle,” Shaboozey for “Cowgirl” and Tucker Wetmore for “Brunette.”
Stella Lefty was also nominated for “Boston.”
Langley’s win adds a major award to the growing list of milestones for “Choosin’ Texas,” which has continued to make history on the Billboard charts.
Before her VMA win, “Choosin’ Texas” had already reached a historic point on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song had spent 23 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the longest-running No. 1 song in the chart’s history. It took the record from Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which had previously held the mark.
The song has also spent 23 weeks at No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart. On the Digital Song Sales chart, “Choosin’ Texas” is tied for the longest-running No. 1, sharing that distinction with two BTS songs.
The track also reached a new high on the Radio Songs chart, moving from No. 6 to No. 2. It was blocked from the top spot by “Dracula” by Tame Impala and Jennie.
“Choosin’ Texas” is one of two Ella Langley songs to reach the top 10 of the all-genre Radio Songs chart. Her song “Be Her” previously reached No. 10.
Langley also had several other songs on the Radio Songs chart, including “I Can’t Love You Anymore,” “Loving Life Again” and “Jaded,” her collaboration with Koe Wetzel.
The success of “Choosin’ Texas” has helped make Langley one of the most visible country artists of 2026. The song currently appears on 11 Billboard charts and has reached the top 10 on all but one of them, according to the supplied chart information.
The song also reached No. 2 on the Billboard Global 200.
Per Elle, Langley entered the 2026 MTV VMAs with four nominations, putting her among the ceremony’s notable country and crossover artists.
Her VMA win came during a ceremony that also featured major moments for other music stars. Taylor Swift won Video of the Year for “The Fate of Ophelia” and received the inaugural VMA Artist Director Honor. Swift also won Best Direction for “Opalite.”
Swift and Langley were among the artists representing Music City during the ceremony.
For Langley, however, the night was especially significant because it gave Langley her first VMA.
With her first MTV Video Music Award now added to her achievements, Langley’s 2026 continues to be defined by major chart success and growing recognition for her country music.
Related: Country Star Ella Langley Cites ‘Dark Humor’ Amid Backlash Over Viral Video