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Keith Urban Opens Up About Touring’s Dark Side Amid Kidman Split
Country music superstar Keith Urban is giving fans a candid look into the often-lonely reality of life on the road, with his reflections taking on a poignant new meaning following his recent separation from actress Nicole Kidman.
In a preview of his upcoming CBS and Paramount+ competition series, The Road, the 57-year-old musician spoke openly about the physical and emotional toll touring can inflict. “It’s a calling, and you’re going to do it or you’re not going to make it,” Urban stated in the episode, set to air on Sunday, October 19.
While describing music as his life’s purpose, Urban detailed the immense pressures. “When you wake up on a tour bus at 3:30 in the morning and you’re sick as a dog, you’re in the middle of nowhere and you’ve got to play your fifth show later that night… and you miss your friends, and you’re missing your family, and you’re completely lonely and miserable and sick – and you say to yourself, ‘Why am I doing this?’” His unwavering answer: “Because this is what I’m born to do.”
These heartfelt admissions come just weeks after it was confirmed that Urban and Kidman had quietly separated after 19 years of marriage. Reports indicate that Urban has since moved out of their shared home, while Kidman, 58, remains with their daughters, Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 14.
Amidst the headlines, speculation briefly arose regarding Urban’s relationship with his longtime guitarist, Maggie Baugh. However, these rumors have been firmly dismissed.
Baugh, 25, a fan favorite on Urban’s High and Alive Tour, will not be joining him for his upcoming Nashville homecoming concert on Friday, October 17, as she is slated to perform her own solo show in Carmel, Indiana, that same night. She is also set to make a significant career step two days prior, taking the stage at the Grand Ole Opry.
Urban’s band will feature a stand-in guitarist for the Nashville performance.
Meanwhile, Nicole Kidman made her first public social media appearance since the news of their divorce filing last week. The actress attended Chanel’s Paris Fashion Week show alongside her daughters, sharing a series of photos on Instagram. “Thank you @chanelofficial for having me and my girls ❤️,” Kidman captioned the post, which included images of her laughing with actress Vanessa Paradis and director Baz Luhrmann.
As both Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman navigate these significant personal changes, they continue to balance their public careers with their private lives.