Keith Urban might have teased a release date for his new album during his stellar performance of “Straight Line” at the CMT Music Awards. beginning the song by saying “5-3-24,” hinting at an important date. While Urban doesn’t confirm that the date has anything to do with his next set of tunes, he does say he can’t wait to share it with the rest of the world.
“We’ll keep working our way towards a release date later this year, but I’m psyched to get it out,” Urban tells People. “It’s been a very unique journey putting all these songs together and shaping the record. And in a lot of ways, the record shaped itself. It had an energy and momentum of its own that I just started following. And I can’t put that into any other way, but that’s kind of what happened is that it felt like the record told me where to go and how to make it. It’s wild.”
Urban can’t wait for fans to hear new music, but it isn’t for the reason some might think. The New Zealand native says his biggest goal with his next record, much like with his previous projects, is to unite fans for one experience, if only for a couple of hours.
Photo Credit: Getty Images for CMT
“I have a lot of hope,” says the singer. “And I think my calling has always been inclusivity in what I do. It’s certainly always been that way playing live in concert. My calling is to bring all these different kinds of people together and become one for a couple of hours. And it’s an amazing thing as a musician to be able to get to do that because even a sporting event splits the audience in two.
“But as musicians,” he adds, “we get to bring the most opposing kinds of people together who maybe only agree on this one thing, which is these songs in this moment.”
Urban has poured all of himself into his new album. The father of two previously revealed he finished the project, and then scrapped most of it and started over.
“It started off as a different record,’ Urban explains. “I saved four songs from that first album, and moved them over to this one, because I just knew it wasn’t the right record. And then, these songs kind of taught me what the other songs should be, and then it just flowed. It flowed so easily and so right.”
Urban is also drawing inspiration in both his music and his life from his time on The Voice, working as this season’s Mega Mentor
“I love being around new artists and artistry, period,” Urban says. “Very inspiring to be around. And I also think for me personally, so much of the advice that I might give to somebody, I’ll drive home afterwards and I’m thinking, ‘Do I do that myself? I’m saying that they should do this thing, but am I doing that?’ And I end up helping myself too because I’m like, ‘OK, well if you’re going to preach it, make sure you practice it as well.’ It’s a bit of accountability as well.”
Urban also loves working alongside Reba McEntire, who he says is everything fans want her to be, and so much more.
“I love Reba. I love her,” Urban praises. “She’s everything you’d want. A pro, easy, professional, super chill. All the balances that you want. Almost like the contributions of being completely on, completely loose, pro, relaxed, all that balance.”
Find all of his music and upcoming shows at KeithUrban.com.