Carson Daly Channels Ella Langley in Hilarious Halloween Performance on TODAY
Carson Daly gave viewers an unexpected Halloween surprise when he transformed himself into country music star Ella Langley, complete with her signature hairstyle, a guitar and a playful performance of her hit song “Choosin’ Texas.”
The The Voice host and TODAY anchor went all-in on the costume during the morning show’s Halloween celebration on Friday, October 30, 2026. His look was inspired by the outfit Langley wore in the official music video for “Choosin’ Texas,” one of the biggest country music hits of the year.
Langley has enjoyed an extraordinary run in 2026, with “Choosin’ Texas” spending 25 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and setting a record for the most weeks at the top of the chart. With the singer dominating the music conversation, Halloween tributes to her were hardly surprising. Daly’s decision to join in, however, was an unexpected twist.
Carson Daly Takes His Ella Langley Impression to the Next Level
Although Daly often works on the West Coast as the host of The Voice, he also appears as an anchor on TODAY in New York City. For the show’s Halloween festivities, he traded his usual on-air look for a full Ella Langley-inspired transformation.
His costume captured the singer’s recognizable style, including a wig featuring long, flowing waves and bangs reminiscent of Langley’s signature look in the “Choosin’ Texas” video.
But Daly did more than simply dress the part. Armed with a guitar, he joined in a playful, largely silent sing-along to the hit song while dancers moved to the music behind him.
He did not appear to know every lyric, but that hardly seemed to matter. Daly looked thoroughly entertained as he committed to the performance, eventually turning toward the camera to blow a kiss as the moment came to an end.
The scene was so amusing that it was difficult to imagine how everyone involved managed to keep a straight face.
TODAY Viewers Can’t Get Enough of Carson’s Costume
The performance quickly caught the attention of TODAY viewers, who flooded the show’s Instagram video with humorous reactions.
Some viewers joked about Daly’s uncertain grasp of the lyrics, while others praised his willingness to embrace the ridiculousness of the costume.
“The lyrics are whatever you want them to be, Carson,” one viewer wrote.
“This is pure chaos but he’s a good sport. So funny!” another commented.
Others came up with their own nickname for the unlikely transformation, with one fan declaring, “Fella Langley! I love it.”
The compliments continued, with viewers writing, “Ya know what.. he’s pulling it off,” and “I am dying laughing!!! 🤣 Nailed it.”
One person was surprised by just how convincing Daly looked, asking, “Wait, why does he actually look like her?” Another summed up the spectacle by admitting they were left “Questioning all his life decisions 😂.”
The reactions suggested that Daly’s willingness to poke fun at himself was a major part of the costume’s appeal.
Carson Daly Has a Message for Ella Langley
Daly also appeared to recognize just how unusual his transformation was. After the show, he shared a side-by-side image of himself in costume alongside Langley and added a playful apology to the singer.
“Love you @ellalangleymusic & I’m so sorry about this. Happy Halloween!” he wrote.
Whether Langley has seen the tribute or how she might respond was not established in the original report, but the comparison gave fans another reason to laugh at Daly’s Halloween effort.
The TODAY broadcast also featured Halloween costumes from the show’s other anchors, with a video showcasing the group’s 2026 looks.
Still, Daly’s Ella Langley impression made a particularly memorable impression, combining one of country music’s biggest songs of the year with a costume that the host clearly had no problem laughing at himself over.