Niall Horan and Thomas Rhett delighted fans in Nashville by performing a surprise cover of Ella Langley's record-breaking hit 'Choosin' Texas' during one of their two special co-headlining summer stadium concerts. The pop and country stars joined forces at GEODIS Park on July 9, delivering an acoustic duet of Langley's smash single, which has spent 12 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Social Media Erupts Over Unexpected Performance
Fans quickly shared videos of the unexpected performance across social media, with many praising the pair's chemistry. The rendition of 'Choosin' Texas' was one of several collaborative moments during the concert's co-encore, which also saw Horan and Rhett perform One Direction's 'Steal My Girl.' The pair additionally teamed up for Horan's solo hit 'Heaven' and Rhett's romantic anthem 'Die a Happy Man.'
Special Significance of 'Steal My Girl'
The performance of 'Steal My Girl' held special significance after Rhett previously revealed it was his favorite One Direction song during an interview with Billboard on the ACM Awards red carpet. When asked to name his favorite track by the band, the country singer answered without hesitation before breaking into an impromptu singalong.
Collaborative Highlights and Solo Sets
The Nashville show also featured a live performance of 'Old Tricks,' a song originally recorded by Rhett with Blake Shelton. For the concert, Horan stepped in to perform Shelton's vocals, reflecting the version the pair recorded together for the deluxe edition of Rhett's album 'About a Woman.' Both artists later shared footage of the performance on Instagram. Beyond their collaborative encore, Horan and Rhett each performed full solo sets before joining one another on stage for the night's closing songs.
First of Two Co-Headlining Stadium Dates
The Nashville concert marked the first of only two co-headlining stadium dates announced by the longtime friends. Their final show together is scheduled to take place at Hersheypark Stadium in Pennsylvania on July 18. When announcing the concerts earlier this year, Rhett expressed his excitement about finally touring alongside Horan. 'Niall and I have been buddies for nearly a decade now, but one thing we've not done yet is officially tour together,' Rhett said. 'There's nothing I love more than being on the road alongside longtime friends, it's going to be a blast for us and the fans.' Horan shared the enthusiasm, adding: 'When TR brought up the idea of doing these, I immediately got so excited just thinking about it. We've been friends for ages and it just makes perfect sense.'
Celebrating a Record-Breaking Hit
The one-off cover of Langley's 'Choosin' Texas' proved to be one of the night's biggest surprises, giving fans an unexpected blend of pop and country while celebrating one of 2026's biggest songs.
