Ella Langley Reveals the Unexpected Journey of Her Breakout Hit "You Look Like You Love Me" at Country Radio Seminar
At this year’s Country Radio Seminar, breakout country star Ella Langley took the stage and shared the surprising story behind the song that has taken country radio by storm: "You Look Like You Love Me." In a candid conversation, Langley revealed how the song came to life in an impromptu writing session with the brilliantly creative Aaron Raitiere, who has since been hailed as the mastermind behind the song’s unique spark.
For those who haven’t had the privilege of meeting Aaron Raitiere, Langley described him as “the most creative human I’ve ever met.” He’s the kind of person who doesn’t just write songs – he sketches his collaborators as they work, his mind constantly racing with new ideas. “He literally can’t sit still long enough,” she laughed. “While he’s writing a song, he needs multiple things going on.”
It was during one of these energetic sessions that Langley found herself sitting with Raitiere in a Nashville writing room, already having written a song earlier that day. “I was thinking, I want to write something else,” she recalled. “So, I sat down with Aaron, and he asked, ‘How’s your relationship life going?’” Langley responded with a chuckle, “Honestly, I’m at the point where they look like they love me. I gotta get out of there.”
That one off-the-cuff remark set the wheels in motion. Raitiere immediately sparked with an idea, suggesting they write 10 to 15 different verses based on that line. “We just hit record and mapped it out,” Langley explained. “We really wrote it as a joke. I remember walking out of that room thinking, ‘No one’s going to understand this song. It’s just going to be played around the bonfire and that’s probably it.’”
But as often happens in the world of country music, what seems like a fleeting idea turned out to be something special. The track caught the ear of Langley’s manager, Maya Hansen, who immediately fell in love with the song. “Maya was obsessed with it,” Langley laughed. “She kept bullying me to put it in Dropbox links for my first EP, Excuse the Mess.” Despite her initial reluctance to include it, Langley ultimately caved and shared the track. And to her surprise, the label and her team were instantly hooked.
What followed was a whirlwind of excitement, but Langley still wasn’t sure what would happen next. “We cut the song, and Riley Green, who I had admired for years, asked us to tour with him,” Langley shared. “I thought, ‘Why not?’ It felt right.” The decision to include Riley Green on the track was a pivotal one. Langley had grown up listening to the same kind of music as Green and saw this as an opportunity to make the song even more authentic.
Fast forward to today, and “You Look Like You Love Me” has become one of the most organic success stories in country music in decades. The song’s authenticity, its realness, and its lighthearted nature resonated with listeners in ways Langley never could have predicted. And for her, it’s a reminder that sometimes the best things come when you least expect them.
From an impromptu writing session to one of the hottest songs in country music, Ella Langley’s journey with "You Look Like You Love Me" is a true testament to the magic of collaboration, creativity, and letting things happen naturally. As Langley’s star continues to rise, we can only wait to see where this breakout hit takes her next.
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