It sounds like a formal “thank you” is in order.
Tonight, the ACM Awards return to Texas with Reba McEntire hosting once again, and it will all stream live exclusively on Prime Video from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco this Thursday, May 8th at 8 PM ET. They’re celebrating the 60th anniversary of the show with a pretty good group of performers lined up, so that is something to look forward to if you’re planning to tune in.
But some of the awards have already been announced, and Ella Langley and Riley Green have already won the ACM for Visual Media of the Year for the music video for their song “You Look Like You Love Me,” which was announced by Reba via video at a recent concert:
I’m sure you’ve probably heard it, especially if you’re reading this, and Ella wrote “YLLYLM” with Aaron Ratiere, and Riley came up with the words for his second verse later on, after Ella had already cut it as a solo song. Ella previously talked about how fast they wrote the first version, after she was inspired by what she called the “talking country” she grew up on, specifically one of her first favorite songs in David Coe’s “You Never Even Called Me by My Name.” “YLLYLM” was included on Ella’s 2024 debut studio album Hungover, and became one of the biggest hits of the year.
It hit #1 at country radio, and the pair also won the CMA Award for Musical Event of the Year for “You Look Like You Love Me” as well.
The music video was great too, which finds them in an old western saloon, with Jamey Johnson playing the local sheriff, and it now has over 37 million views on Youtube. During a press event ahead of the ACM Awards yesterday, Ella talked in-depth about putting the video together, which she co-directed, and how her bangs have become a signature part of her look.
But she also revealed that she’s the reason Riley brought back his mustache, which she told him he needed for the video to fit the theme, and he hasn’t changed it since then… well, Ella can’t take full credit, and she also gave some to “God and his parents” for the good genes:
“I do not think I can get rid of the bangs. I don’t think I would now, it really does fit my face. It’s funny, now that I see myself without them, I’m like, ugh, who is that? Plus, who needs botox when you gave bangs.
I will tell you, everyone’s excited about Riley’s mustache, you can thank me for Riley’s mustache, other than God, I guess, and his parents. The ‘You Look Like You Love Me’ music video, I co-directed that, and I just knew I wanted it to be an old western. and one thing about my dad, he was watching old westerns or a war movie’s on Sunday’s after church.
And so I just grew up watching them, and I love them, and it really does feel like, when I was listening to the song, I just thought of it in a bar, kind of how an old western is. I told Riley that he could not shave his mustache off at least for the music video, and so here we are still a year later he has it, it’s great. I don’t think he can get rid of stache, either. We’re stuck this way.”
I mean, I’m not mad about it…
@100.7thetiger Everyone say thank you to Ella Langley for Riley Green’s mustache 😂🥸 #rileygreen #ellalangley #acmawards #fyp #countrymusic ♬ original sound – 100.7 The Tiger
Tonight, Ella and Riley are both up multiple awards, and Ella is the most-nominated artist, coming in with eight nods, so expect her to have a huge night. Riley is not too far behind his duet partner with five nominations, and I’m sure we’ll see that classic mustache on full display as he walks the red carpet and (hopefully) accepts at least one or two awards.
“You Look Like You Love Me”
