Riley Green said “ it would be really difficult not to try” to release another duet with Ella Langley after two successful collaborations together.

Green rand Langley teamed up on “Don’t Mind If I Do,” the title track of Green’s latest studio record, after the viral traditional country song, “you look like you love me.” That song has scored multiple CMA Award victories, including in the Single of the Year, Song of the Year and Music Video of the Year categories at this year’s show. Backstage, Green responded to a few questions, including one about dream collaborations.

“It would be really difficult not to try to do another song with Ella because that’s really worked well,” Green replied.

He added, “I think any collaboration that I do has got to be something that’s really organic. And just, you know, somebody that I have a relationship with, somebody I’m friends with, somebody I’m a fan of, and has the same musical inspirations that I did. I think me and Ella grew up the same way, and I think fans can tell when it’s real. There’s certainly some collaborations that go through management and labels and the proper channels, and I’ve never done it that way. It’s always been somebody I’m friends with says ‘hey, I like this song, wanna be a part of it?’

Green also said he hopes fans “feel ownership” of the CMA victories, “because they made those songs what they are.” The Alabama-born singer-songwriter admitted he thought “you look like you love me” would be “too traditional” to become a big hit.

“I thought it was a cool thing. I thought the chorus was catchy. It stayed in your head, but then we played it on the road and it became a thing,” he said. “You couldn’t open your phone without hearing it, and it became a radio hit. ‘Don’t Mind If I Do’ is kind of the same way. I had no idea it was gonna be that. So, I got to watch fans’ excitement when Ella would come out on stage with me when we were on tour together, and we would do those songs. That doesn’t happen much for an artist, two artists to have two really big songs together while they’re touring together. We got to do that for the better part of two years.”

Green and Langley separately took the stage to perform during the 59th CMA Awards on November 19. Green performed “Worst Way,” a song he admits he thought “was way too dirty” at first, and Langley performed “Choosin’ Texas,” a song she co-wrote with powerhouse country star Miranda Lambert. Find the full list of winners here.

Bob Delmont