Ella Langley made her Nissan Stadium debut with a full set during this year’s CMA Fest, delivering a standout performance of her latest single, “weren’t for the wind.”
Donning a black leopard print fringe ensemble with flared sleeves and silver jewelry, Langley dominated the stage with confidence as she belted out the lyrics to the fan-favorite hit.
“Maybe that plane wouldn’t ever take off/ Maybe that dust wouldn’t fly off the drive/ Maybe that tumbleweed and me/ Wouldn’t leave every other sunrise/ Maybe I’d settle down, dig in some roots/ Find me a farmhouse, find me a you/ Maybe I wouldn’t be already gone again/ If it weren’t for the wind,” Langley sang on the track’s chorus.
With her powerhouse set and undeniable stage presence, the fast-rising country star left no doubt that she’s well on her way to becoming a bona fide superstar.
The thoughtful track finds the Alabama native reflecting on her nature as someone who can’t stay in one place for very long, something many artists on the road can likely relate to. “Maybe that plane wouldn’t ever take off / Maybe that dust wouldn’t fly off the drive,” she sings. “Maybe that tumbleweed and me / Wouldn’t leave every other sunrise.”
Along with her Nissan Stadium set, Langley also performed on the Chevy Riverfront stage during CMA Fest, and she reflected on the various stages and how it feels for them to keep getting bigger. “Nissan Stadium, that’s the biggest stage of all CMA Fest, right? I mean, there’s not much bigger than Nissan Stadium,” she said, sharing that 2025 was her fourth year performing at the annual festival.
“Last year I got to do Chevy Riverfront. But this year doing Nissan Stadium is, I mean it’s a stadium just first of all, it’s insane to walk out there and see that many people,” she said before noting how the heat in Nashville often turns up around CMA Fest and appreciating the dedication of the fans who make the journey to the annual event. “I was just sitting there talking to some of my crew earlier about how like, ‘Wow, it’s so hot every year for CMA Fest and these fans come out and they sweat and they stand in line, and they watch the shows. So to get to play the stadium and cap the night off that way for some of these fans, it’s just so cool, so special for me and my crew.”
“weren’t for the wind” is from the deluxe edition of Langley’s 2024 album, hungover, which also features that chart-topping Riley Green duet “you look like you love me.” Langley is supporting the project on the road for the majority of the rest of 2025, joining Morgan Wallen and Riley Green on their own headlining runs through the summer before returning to her own The Still Hungover Tour through early November.
2025 CMA Fest
Dubbed “The Music Event of Summer,” CMA Fest Presented by SoFi featured 30+ performances from some of Country music’s hottest stars, including Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Cody Johnson, Riley Green, Jason Aldean, Trace Adkins, Jordan Davis, Megan Moroney, Parker McCollum, Ashley McBryde, Rascal Flatts, The Red Clay Strays, Dylan Scott, Zach Top, Keith Urban and more.
The three-hour broadcast also included unforgettable collaborations from the 2025 CMA Fest. Brooks & Dunn teamed up with Lainey Wilson for “Play Something Country” and with Marcus King for “Rock My World [Little Country Girl],” Dierks Bentley joined forces with Zach Top on “Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)” and a “Mountain Music” medley, Cody Johnson and Carín León performed “She Hurts Like Tequila,” Brandon Lake and Jelly Roll delivered a powerful performance of “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” Jason Aldean and Travis Tritt united for “It’s A Great Day To Be Alive,” Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins teamed up for “Hillbilly Bone,” and Bailey Zimmerman and BigXthaPlug showcased their new duet “All The Way” and more.
CMA Fest presented by SoFi was filmed at Nissan Stadium during Music City’s four-day country music festival, which took place Thursday, June 5, through Sunday, June 8. 2025 marked the 19th consecutive year that CMA has produced a summer concert TV special. The show is a production of the Country Music Association, executive produced and written by Robert Deaton and directed by Alan Carter. The 2025 airing marks the 22nd consecutive year CMA has produced a summer concert TV special.
The CMA Fest special aired on Thursday, June 26 at 8/7c on ABC and is available to watch on-demand on Friday, June 27 via Hulu
