Kelly Clarkson Covers Ella Langley’s ‘weren’t for the wind’ on Talk Show

Kelly Clarkson spotlighted Ella Langley during a recent segment, offering enthusiastic support for the breakout singer. "She's really good," Clarkson said of the singer. "I like her music. She's very clever, really rad voice and tone. Y'all should check her out if you don't know about her already." The praise arrived as Clarkson opened The Kelly Clarkson Show with a country-driven Kellyoke cover of Langley's chart-topping single "weren't for the wind," calling the performance an "insane" rendition.

"weren't for the wind" marks Langley's first solo No. 1 and second overall, co-written with Joybeth Taylor and Johnny Clawson and produced by Will Bundy. The track appears on her 18-song project Still Hungover, part of the Hungover/Still Hungover era that has propelled her profile across radio, streaming, and major live stages.

Langley also performed "Choosin' Texas" at the CMA Awards the same night Clarkson delivered her Kellyoke cover. The song, co-written with Miranda Lambert, Luke Dick, and Joybeth Taylor, continues to gain momentum on country radio as Langley's 2025 successes stack up, including two sold-out shows at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium.

Her collaborative run includes a viral duet with Riley Green that swept three categories at the 59th CMA Awards: Single of the Year, Song of the Year, and Music Video of the Year. 

Discussing their partnership on the Bobby Bones Show, Langley and Green reflected on the unexpected origin of the hit. "This song was never supposed to leave my audio recordings on my phone," Ella said of the smash hit. "I wrote it as a joke with Aaron Reitier at first, and then the label heard it and loved it. And then Riley asked us to go on tour. Him and I, just kind of being from the same area and growing up on the same kind of music, I thought maybe we could try it out on the road." 

Green added, "You know, I thought talking verses was probably a little too old-school, a little too traditional, but how cool is it that a song that's this country is doing this well?"

With Langley teasing new music for 2026 and social media buzzing about potential collaborations — including a Clarkson-Langley duet — her upward momentum shows no signs of slowing. Clarkson's seasoned influence, backed by her American Idol win, 10 albums, more than 82 million records sold, and her hit daytime show, further underscores the moment's impact within country music.