Ella Langley addressed her decision to cancel a recent concert “due to a serious security threat.”

The “Choosin’ Texas” artist, 27, canceled her show on Friday night (October 9) at BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She said in a statement at the time, which appears to have been removed from Instagram, that “a serious security threat involving the safety of fans, venue personnel, and the artist,” prompted the decision to scrap the event. Langley further addressed the cancellation on stage the following night at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas.

“When it comes to keeping you safe and making sure that this show is a safe place for us to come and enjoy our music, then it will happen. But the second it feels like it will not, I’m not doing it,” Langley said, according to fan-recorded videos circulating on social media. “I’m not doing it because a concert’s not worth a human life. It’s not. And so, I would have made yesterday’s decision 10 billion times over. I would have. And I’d do it tomorrow, and I’d do it the next day. Because, while I’m grateful to get to do what I do, it’s not the most important thing in this life. What’s the most important thing in this life is the people around that love you and are there for you no matter what. The most important thing in this life is making sure you wake up every day and feel like, ‘You know what? I’m good today. I am good today, and I’m so grateful to have woken up today.’

“I’m not going to live in fear,” she continued, sharing how her faith helped her decide to continue with her performance on Saturday night (October 10) following the incident in Oklahoma. “We are going to put on music and get to do this for the rest of our lives, and I know that. I know that because this is my calling. This is the thing that I was called to do, and I’m going to continue doing it. Nobody is going to talk me out of it or scare me out of it. No. You will not. So, tonight, I’m just grateful. …Thank you so much for showing up tonight. I know yesterday was scary. It was scary for all of us. But we’re just so grateful to be playing this show tonight. We’re so grateful, and we will never take this for granted. We love it. We love what we do. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. This is my favorite thing to do in my life, is to get to put on a show. I’ve worked my whole life, we’ve worked our whole lives, to get to do what we’re doing. And tonight, we were going to get to do what we were meant to do, no matter what. …This will be a moment I look back on when I’m having a sh*tty day again, and I will be back to loving life again.”

Langley went on to deliver a rendition of her heartfelt, peaceful ballad, “Loving Life Again.” the song appeared on her sophomore studio record, Dandelion, earlier this year. Langley wrote the song with Devin Dawson and ERNEST about her renewed energy following a period of burnout.

The award-winning country star said in her statement when she canceled the Oklahoma show on Friday night, “The safety and well-being of everyone involved is our absolute priority, and after careful consideration, we have determined that the show cannot proceed. We understand the disappointment this news brings and apologize to fans who planned to attend. The safety of fans is our foremost concern and will always come first.”

Langley said in a caption on Instagram at the time that it was an “incredibly difficult decision,” which was made “under the advisement of local authorities, the venue, and my security team.

“I know how much time, travel, money, and planning goes into coming to a show, and I can’t tell you how sorry I am,” Langley continued. “This is not a decision that was made lightly. I was so looking forward to spending tonight with you, but your safety will always mean more to me than anything else. I refuse to put anyone in harm’s way.”

The Tulsa Police Department said there was “no credible threat,” following an investigation, according to a report by PEOPLE. The publication also notes that anyone with information in connection with the incident should contact Tulsa Crime Stoppers. In a reel that appears to have been removed from Facebook, the department shared, “As with any large event, the Tulsa Police Department goes to great lengths to ensure that it is safe for eventgoers and those coming to perform. Before the event, we swept the area with our K-9, Bomb Team, Patrol, and BOK security for anything dangerous. We did not find anything. [The Tulsa Police Department] advised the performer’s staff that we found no credible threat to the event, but they decided to cancel the performance anyway.”

Brooke Taylor

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