“Riley Green Showcases Two Rising Acts Following Ella Langley’s Exit from Hoofbeat Fest”
By Website Content Manager
By inviting them to perform alongside him on stage, Green gave the aspiring artists a dream opportunity, stepping in with them to sing the duets originally planned with Ella Langley.
Country music fans in Cadott, Wisconsin got an unexpected treat last night when Riley Green stunned the Hoofbeat Country Fest audience by bringing two up-and-coming artists on stage to join him.
Green closed out the first night of the festival, performing for a crowd of over 20,000. The evening became even more memorable after news broke that his duet partner for “You Look Like You Love Me,” Ella Langley, had to withdraw from the festival lineup.
Following the announcement, which aired on 102.9 The Wolf (KMNB Minneapolis-St. Paul), rising country singer Hailey James—who had already performed earlier on the main stage—took to social media with a daring proposal: to fill in for Langley during Green’s set.
“Hey guys, I just heard Ella Langley won’t be performing this Thursday and I’m honestly not sure why—I’m really disappointed,” James said. “But I’d regret it if I didn’t take a chance now and ask to step in for her part.”
Speaking directly to Riley Green in a confident and heartfelt video, Hailey James made her case: “Riley, if you’re watching this, I’m opening for you this Thursday on the main stage. I’m Hailey James, and I’d love the chance to sing this song with you.”
James also reminded viewers that she had previously gone viral three years ago when Dustin Lynch invited her on stage at Country Fest in Wisconsin—a moment she hoped would prove her ability to hold her own in front of a massive crowd.
“This feels like it’s meant to be,” she said. “Part of my path, my journey… I hope you get to see this.”
She wrapped up her message with an acoustic performance of “You Look Like You Love Me,” the duet originally performed by Green and Langley.
In a follow-up video, James captured the moment she heard her story shared on local radio station 102.9 The Wolf, reacting with disbelief and excitement. She captioned it: “THIS IS CRAZY! @rileyduckman give the people what they want!! And me haha! I’d be so honored to join you on stage! HEAR OUR CALL 🥺🫶🏻 Huge thanks to 102.9 The Wolf—you’re the best!!”
Her bold move paid off—Green saw the video, and the next night, James was on stage performing her heart out with the Alabama-born star.
James wasn’t the only artist to take a chance. The country trio Just Jayne also managed to catch Green’s attention with a few playful TikTok posts leading up to their own Hoofbeat Fest set.
In one of their videos, a band member is seen scrolling through Green’s Instagram with the caption: “POV: we’re playing a festival with Riley Green in 2 days,” joking, “I feel like he’s probably not even that cute in person.”