Ella Langley is giving fans another taste of her forthcoming new album with the release of “Dandelion,” a confident new song about staying true to who you are, no matter where life takes you. The country superstar dropped the track on Friday (Jan. 30), just days after announcing her sophomore album of the same name.
Co-written by Langley alongside Joybeth Taylor, Austin Goodloe and Brett Tyler, “Dandelion” finds the 26-year-old singer/songwriter remaining true to her roots, thriving on her own terms, and refusing to change for anyone, even as she grows and evolves as a person.
The first verse finds Langley leaning into her Alabama roots, reminding listeners that no matter where she goes, her upbringing, faith, and southern values will always remain a part of her true identity, and she’s damn proud to stand out in the crowd rather than be like everyone else.
“Tried leavin’ where I come from, but I’m always gonna go back/ I tried sipping on the champagne, but it’s always gonna be Jack/ There’s things I can’t change, like how I was raised/ The Bible in my blood, and the ‘Bama in my veins/ Ain’t a pink bouquet in the flower store/ I’m okay if I’m a little more.”
Throughout the song, the dandelion becomes a powerful symbol of “hope, healing, and resilience.” Often dismissed as a common weed or pulled from the ground, the flower represents someone who doesn’t fit the mold, but continues to survive anyway even amidst the challenges life throws at you.
“Dandelion/ Born to live free, riding on a breeze/ On a summer night/ Tucked back in the weeds, guess that’s just me/ In a bed of red roses, I’m the one growing up on the wilder side/ So if you’re tired of thorns, I’m a little more/ Dandelion,” Langley sang on the track’s anthemic chorus.
The song serves as the title track to her forthcoming sophomore album, Dandelion, which is expected to arrive on April 10 via SAWGOD Records/Columbia. Co-produced by Miranda Lambert and Ben West, Dandelion features 18 tracks, including her viral anthem “Choosin’ Texas,” which currently sits in the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a third consecutive week as well as in the Top 5 at Country radio. “Choosin’ Texas” is making waves on social media and has amassed over 250 million streams to date and counting.
The upcoming project serves as the follow-up to her debut album, hungover, and will mark Langley’s most personal body of work to date. “This record has so much growth in it,” Ella shared in a press release. “I’ve never poured more of myself into a project, into a song, into an idea, and it’s fallen out so beautifully. It’s about learning yourself, making mistakes, and realizing that it’s all just part of life.”
Of naming the project Dandelion, Langley explained, “I learned that dandelion tea is actually a natural detox for the liver. So a record called ‘Dandelion‘ after a record called hungover made all the sense in the world to me.”
With Dandelion, Ella Langley hopes her fans will let this project soundtrack everyday moments in their lives. “I want this record to be something that fans can relate to, but also something they want to get up and dance to at the same time,” she added. “To me, this record feels like fireflies in the summertime. It feels like windows down on a red dirt road, It feels like the best kind of Sunday afternoon, It feels like those days I remember as a kid where it felt like there weren’t enough hours in the day. This record is really a love letter to that.”
Dandelion is available now for pre-order on Limited Edition Signed Honey Bee Yellow Colored Vinyl, Standard Puffball White Colored Vinyl, and Standard Jewelcase CD, plus new exclusive merchandise HERE.
