Country Singer Ernest Says He Felt Lost After Leaving Ella Langley’s Tour, Telling Fans He Is Reconnecting With Faith and Aiming to Return Stronger

NASHVILLE, TN — Country singer Ernest is opening up about a difficult stretch in his life after stepping away from Ella Langley’s tour. In a social media update posted Tuesday, the 27-year-old said he felt “lost,” was searching for answers, and was grateful for the people who kept showing him “love and support.”

The “Gettin’ Gone” singer, whose full name is Ernest Keith Smith, said the time away has pushed him to take a closer look at faith, family, and the way he has been living. He told fans he is not claiming to have everything figured out, but he is trying to use the break to reset and come back in a better place.

Why Ernest stepped away from Ella Langley’s Dandelion Tour

Ernest first told fans last month that he was dropping out of Langley’s Dandelion Tour to focus on his health. In that earlier message, he said the road had been wearing him down in a “bad way” and that both his mental and physical health needed attention.

He said he was taking a couple of weeks away to get himself and his priorities back in order. Ernest also thanked Langley for having him on the tour and wished her well in Auburn and for the rest of the run. He said he hoped to return “better and stronger” and described the break as something he owed both himself and the people affected by his actions.

A candid Instagram post about feeling lost and looking for answers

In his latest Instagram message, Ernest was unusually blunt about where his head is at. He wrote that he was “LOST” and admitted that he still is, though he believes the search for something more has begun in earnest.

He said he is starting to reconnect with his relationship with God after growing up in church and attending Christian school. He added that he felt burned out by that world at one point, but is now trying to re-engage with it in a more honest way. The post paired his words with a carousel of images that reflected the personal tone of the update.

Ernest also said he had spent too long relying on his own judgment and trying to outsmart what he considered better instincts. While he said he does not have many answers, he described the process as starting with “a dialogue with something greater than ME.”

Faith, family and the pressure of staying at his best

Beyond the spiritual language, Ernest tied his pause from touring to the people closest to him. He said he has a “beautiful life, family and friends” who deserve his best version, and he said he deserves that for himself as well.

That framing gives the update a more personal edge than a typical tour announcement. Ernest did not present the break as a dramatic exit or a complete retreat from music. Instead, he described it as time spent digging and discovering, suggesting he sees the pause as part of a larger effort to get his life back in order.

He also made clear that he was not trying to preach to fans. The message, he said, was simply meant to let people know what he has been doing and why he has been away from the spotlight.

What he said about returning to country music soon

Ernest ended his post by promising that he plans to come back to both his fans and his music. He told followers he loves them, loves country music, and expects to be back “soon,” even if the details of that return remain unclear.

That message mirrors the tone of his earlier comments about wanting to return stronger. For now, though, he has not laid out a timeline for when he will resume performing or recording. His latest note suggests the priority is still reflection and recovery rather than rushing back to the stage.

For fans, the update offers reassurance that his absence is not the end of the story. It also shows how openly country artists are sometimes willing to discuss mental health, exhaustion, and faith when they step back from the demands of touring.

How Ernest’s absence affects Ella Langley’s tour plans

Langley has not publicly addressed Ernest’s absence on the tour, according to the update accompanying his announcement. The pair had already worked together musically, including on her hit “Loving Life Again,” which Ernest co-wrote with Devin Dawson.

That collaboration helps explain why his departure drew attention from fans of both artists. Ernest’s role on the road connected him to one of Langley’s most visible projects, while their shared song history gave the partnership additional weight. Even so, the focus of his recent remarks has stayed on his own health and personal reset rather than on any behind-the-scenes friction.

For now, his message leaves the tour question secondary to the larger personal one: Ernest says he is taking time to rebuild, refocus, and figure out what comes next.

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