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Ella Langley, the country music sensation, opened up about her full-circle moment playing at Morgan Wallen's Sand in My Boots Festival, sharing the stage with Miranda Lambert, and what love smells like at Bath & Body Works' activation at the inaugural music festival.
Langley, who is an Alabama native, caught up with PEOPLE at the Scent x Sound Lab by Bath & Body Works after her rocking performance at the festival. For Langley, this was a full-circle moment," she said.
"I used to go to Hangout [Music Festival]. That was the thing I did for my senior graduation," Langley told PEOPLE. "We didn't go on a senior trip. I went to Hangout, and every year I go on vacation down here."
Langley continued, "It's just cool to be included on this first year of Sand in My Boots. It's definitely going down in history what this festival's going to do."
Langley's Performance and Collaboration
During her set, Langley performed a series of her songs including "Weren't for the Wind," "Country Boy's Dream Girl," "Nicotine," and "Hungover."
Later that afternoon, she came out during Riley Green's set for a performance of their award-winning collaboration "You Look Like You Love Me" and "Don't Mind If I Do."
Last week, Langley was the most-nominated artist at the ACM Awards. She took home five trophies for New Female Artist of the Year, Single of the Year, Music Event of the Year, and Visual Media of the Year.
Langley's Moment with Miranda Lambert
Langley also took the stage with Miranda Lambert to perform her 2005 hit "Kerosene." Reflecting on that moment, Langley says Lambert has always served as an inspiration.
"There's a ridiculous amount of highlights of that whole entire week," she said of the ACM Awards. "But performing 'Kerosene,' I already knew that I was going to do 'Weren't for the Wind' but when we got asked to do 'Kerosene,' God, I was just like, 'It just made the night so much better for me because I got that initial fear out and that was our first time performing together. It felt like a 12-year-old kid living her biggest dream ever on stage."
Langley on Miranda Lambert
Growing up, Langley admired Lambert for her strength and independence.
"She is who she is and she doesn't apologize for that," Langley explained of Lambert. "She stands up for herself, but she also stands up for others she believes in. And that's just always been apparent by watching her as a young artist. So I'm really grateful to get to work alongside her."
Langley on Love and Bath & Body Works
On her collaboration with Bath & Body Works, Langley says the company's scents have always brought a feeling of memory and nostalgia. When asked what love smells like, Langley says "it depends on the day."
"Sometimes it smells like mahogany tea, wood, kind of sexy. And then some days it smells like strawberry shortcake," she said.
She concluded, "And let me tell you, some days it smells like rain. And that's just the truth."
Read more about Morgan Wallen's Sand in My Boots Festival and exclusive interviews.