What to Expect From Keith Urban’s New Album ‘High’
1967-present
Latest News: Keith Urban Releases New Album High
Keith Urban is set to release his new album High on September 20. The Grammy-winning country singer first announced the album in June with the release of his party anthem “Wildside,” which was inspired by Joan Cusack’s character in the 20o3 movie School of Rock. Urban has also previewed High with the singles “Messed Up As Me” and “Go Home W U” featuring Lainey Wilson.
The record is his first in four years, following the release of his 2020 album The Speed of Now Part 1. In his June album announcement, the 56-year-old revealed High is about living in the moment and explained the meaning behind the eye-catching title. “What makes you ‘high’ can mean whatever you want it to mean,” Urban said. “It might be physical, spiritual, herbal, meditative, chemical, or musical, but it’s definitely a place of utopia.”
Who Is Keith Urban?
Since growing up in Australia on American country music, Keith Urban has become one of the genre’s most enduring artists. In 1999, he released a self-titled solo album, setting the table for an impressive career that has produced top-selling albums like Defying Gravity and Fuse as well as numerous Grammy, Country Music Association, and Academy of Country Music wins. Elsewhere, Urban served as a judge on the competition show American Idol from 2013 to 2016. He and his wife, actor Nicole Kidman, have two daughters.
Quick Facts
FULL NAME: Keith Lionel Urban
BORN: October 26, 1967
BIRTHPLACE: Whangarei, New Zealand
SPOUSE: Nicole Kidman (2006-present)
CHILDREN: Sunday and Faith
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Scorpio
Early Life and Career
Keith Lionel Urban was born on October 26, 1967, in Whangarei on New Zealand’s North Island. While being raised in Australia, Keith inherited a passion for American country music from his parents, Bob and Marienne, who gave him a ukulele when he was 4 years old. Keith took up guitar lessons two years later and started entering talent competitions at the age of 8.
By the time he was a teenager, he had won several talent shows and joined a country band. His signature style—a mix of rock guitar and country sound—emerged during those formative years. His guitar influences include Fleetwood Mac, Dire Straits, and John Mellencamp.
In 1991, when he was in his early 20s, Keith debuted his first album, which enjoyed success in his native Australia. It was time for the 5-foot-10 musician to cut his teeth in Nashville.
His first Nashville band, the Ranch, made a huge splash, and the group released a self-titled album in 1997 to commercial acclaim. Shortly thereafter, Urban decided to leave the band to pursue a solo career. His talents were quickly recruited by some of the biggest names in country music, including Garth Brooks and the Dixie Chicks (now The Chicks).
Solo Albums
As a solo artist, Urban has released a whopping 11 studio albums, three of which have become No. 1 country albums. Defying Gravity (2009), his only album to top the Billboard 200 chart, earned a Grammy nomination for Best Country Album. Urban’s 12th record High comes out on September 20, 2024.
Keith Urban
Urban released his first solo album in the United States in October 1999. The self-titled record featured hits like “Your Everything” and “It’s A Love Thing.” The track “But for the Grace of God” gave him his first No. 1 country song, launching his career. Four years later, Keith Urban went certified platinum.
Golden Road
Urban released his second studio album, Golden Road, in October 2002, one year after being named New Artist of the Year at the Country Music Association Awards.
The album included No. 1 singles “Who Wouldn’t Want to Be Me” and “Somebody Like You,” which was nominated for Single Record of the Year at the Academy of Country Music Awards. The track “You’ll Think of Me” earned him his first Grammy win in 2006 for Best Male Country Vocal Performance.
Be Here
After touring with the likes of Brooks & Dunn and Kenny Chesney and headlining his own tour, Urban released his third album, Be Here, in September 2004. The record won an ACM Award for Album of the Year, as well as a nod in the same category at the CMAs and received a Grammy nomination for Best Country Album in 2005.
With more than four million copies sold, Be Here is Urban’s best-selling album. The single “Days Go By” debuted at the top of Billboard’s country song chart and was nominated for Single Record of the Year at the ACM Awards.
Urban was also named Male Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year at the 2005 CMAs.
Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing
Urban’s next album, Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing, was released in November 2006, just one day after receiving his third CMA Award for Male Vocalist of the Year. It spawned several hits, including “Once in a Lifetime” and “Stupid Boy,” which won a Grammy for Best Male Country Vocal Performance in 2008.
The record was also nominated for Album of the Year at the CMAs. In January 2008, Urban embarked on the Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Carnival Ride Tour with Carrie Underwood. A live concert film of the tour was released the following year.
Defying Gravity
Urban continued his string of hits with another album, Defying Gravity, which was released in March 2009 and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200—his first album to do so.
The lead single, “Sweet Thing,” was inspired by his wife, Nicole Kidman. The tune hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, then earned Urban his third Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. The album was nominated for but didn’t win Best Country Album.
Urban performed the album’s second single, “Kiss a Girl,” during the Season 8 finale of the singing competition show American Idol as a duet with the show’s winner, Kris Allen. Three years after its release, Urban received his fourth Grammy for the track “’Til Summer Comes Around,” which won Best Male Country Vocal Performance.
Get Closer
In November 2010, he released Get Closer, a celebration of life and love, featuring the No. 1 country songs “Without You,” “You Gonna Fly,” and “Long Hot Summer.” The record debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200.
Urban’s seventh headlining concert tour, the Get Closer 2011 World Tour, ran from April to October 2011.
Fuse
Maintaining his career as one of country music’s most popular stars, Urban released Fuse in September 2013. Debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, the album included the tracks “We Were Us,” a duet with Miranda Lambert, as well as “Somewhere In My Car.”
The following year, Fuse was nominated for Album of the Year at the CMA Awards. The songs “Cop Car” and “Raise ’Em Up,” featuring Eric Church, both earned Grammy nods in 2015 for Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Duo/Group Performance, respectively.
Ripcord
Urban followed in May 2016 with the Grammy-nominated Ripcord, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. The synth-country record included a duet with Carrie Underwood on “The Fighter,” as well as “Blue Ain’t Your Color” and “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16,” which both received Grammy nominations.
Graffiti U
In April 2018, Urban delivered a new studio effort, Graffiti U. The No. 1 country album produced four singles—“Female,” “Parallel Line,” “Coming Home,” and “Never Comin’ Down”—and earned a CMA nomination for Album of the Year.
His wife, Nicole Kidman, served as inspiration for multiple songs on the album, including the track “Gemini.” Kidman, whose zodiac sign is Gemini, also sang backing vocals on the #MeToo anthem “Female.” Urban’s “Parallel Line” received a Grammy nod for Best Country Solo Performance.
The Speed of Now Part 1
The artist followed with The Speed of Now Part 1 in September 2020, featuring the song “We Were.” Urban’s duet with Pink on “One Too Many” earned him an ACM Award nomination for Musical Event of the Year. The multi-genre record reached the top of Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart.
High
Urban is set to release his latest album, High, on September 20, 2024. His first in four years, the record features the upbeat single “Wildside,” which was inspired by Joan Cusack’s character in the 20o3 movie School of Rock. Other tracks include the Hot Country single “Messed Up As Me” and the Lainey Wilson collaboration “Go Home W U.”
Hit Songs
Urban has delivered dozens of hit country songs over the course of his long career. His first No. 1 country song, “But for the Grace of God,” came in 1999 with the release of his self-titled album. In 2002, he released the No. 1 single “Somebody Like You,” which was nominated for Single Record of the Year at the ACM Awards.
Four of his hits are responsible for all of Urban’s Grammy Awards. “You’ll Think of Me,” “Stupid Boy,” “Sweet Thing,” and “’Til Summer Comes Around” each won the award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. “Sweet Thing” was inspired by the singer’s wife, actor Nicole Kidman.
In fall 2009, Urban performed at the CMA Awards and received several honors for his collaborative effort with Brad Paisley on “Start a Band.”
The singles “Without You” and “You Gonna Fly” rose to the top of the Billboard country songs chart in 2011 and 2012, respectively, followed by the release of the Grammy-nominated songs “Cop Car” and “Raise ’Em Up” three years later. His 2016 tracks “Blue Ain’t Your Color” and “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16” also received Grammy nominations, along with his 2018 single “Parallel Line.”
Net Worth
As of June 2024, Urban has an estimated net worth of $75 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. In addition to his music and concert sales, he earns money from his signature line of acoustic and electric guitars.
Wife Nicole Kidman and Daughters
Urban met actor Nicole Kidman at a gala in 2005 and proposed the following May. A month later, in June 2006, the pair married in their native Australia. Shortly after their wedding, the once-sober singer started drinking again, prompting Kidman to stage an intervention.
Urban credits his wife for sobriety, expressing his gratitude for her in his 2009 song “Thank You.” In 2016, the musician opened up about how his struggles with addiction affected his relationship with Kidman. "“I caused the implosion of my fresh marriage,” he told Rolling Stone. “It survived, but it’s a miracle it did. I was spiritually awoken with her. I use the expression ‘I was born into her,’ and that’s how I feel. And for the first time in my life, I could shake off the shackles of addiction.”
After moving to Nashville, Urban and Kidman welcomed their first daughter, Sunday, in July in 2008. “We want to thank everybody that has kept us in their thoughts and prayers,” Urban wrote on his website shortly after Sunday’s birth. “We feel very blessed and grateful that we can share this joy with all of you today.” In December 2010, the couple had their second daughter, Faith, who was conceived via surrogacy.
Addiction and Sobriety
Urban first checked himself into a rehabilitation center for drug and alcohol addiction in 1998, following years of drug use and heavy drinking. After nearly eight years of sobriety, the singer relapsed just months after marrying actor Nicole Kidman in 2006. At Kidman’s urging, Urban checked himself into the Betty Ford Clinic. His album Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing was released while he was in rehab.
Urban opened up about his struggles with addiction in October 2021, revealing that his father, Robert, was also an alcoholic. “It took me a long time to get sober, took me a long time to recognize my alcoholism,” he told the Australian edition of Rolling Stone. “A long time because I didn’t drink like my dad, so I compared everything to him. So it just took a long time for me. But I was able to finally make the right choice in my life, that I wish my dad would have made.”
American Idol Judge
In 2012, Urban was chosen as a new judge for Season 12 of American Idol, which began in January 2013. Urban appeared alongside Randy Jackson, Mariah Carey, and Nicki Minaj in his debut season. In 2014, he worked with Jennifer Lopez and Harry Connick Jr. A popular judge, Urban remained with the show for four seasons, through the end of its initial run in 2016.
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