Keith Urban Opens Up About Overcoming Shyness and Finding His Stage Confidence
Urban went from being a “very shy” kid to a superstar entertainer.
Keith Urban; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Keith Urban wasn’t always the confident, stage-commanding superstar fans see today. In fact, he describes himself as a “very shy” kid. But that all changed when he got his hands on the guitar and received a valuable piece of advice from a fellow performer.
“It was like a little shield, like Linus with his security blanket, so it was quite comforting to have a guitar,” he explained of his guitar.
He admitted he was not “a performer-performer” as a young boy, that is until he was playing in a band in Australia. He wasn’t the lead singer, an American frontman from Florida held that role, and Keith was learning the ropes on guitar and keyboards. One night, that frontman offered a simple piece of advice that would transform Urban’s approach to performing.
“He was a great entertainer. He was excellent, and I learned so much from him and I was playing guitar and a bit of keyboards in this band and trying to learn a lot from him as a frontman,” Urban recalled. “And one night he said to me, he goes, ‘Hey, when you play a solo, why don’t you go to the front of the stage, you know, and just play like that and lean into the audience and really play?’ And i’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, I couldn’t do that.’ He goes, ‘Why not?’ I go, ‘Because they’ll think I’m like stuck up, like I’m hot, like I’m full of myself.’ He goes, ‘Well, are you?’ I said, ‘No.’ He goes, ‘Then they won’t.’”
That was the epiphany Urban had been waiting for.
“And it was just like BOOM, this whole lightbulb went off. It sounds so obvious, but it was literally like if you are generally a down-to-earth, grounded, good, tongue-in-cheek type person, you can do anything and the audience will love it ‘cause they know you’re not an arrogant, cocky person at all.,” he explained. “You’re just putting on a show. But to his point, if you do think that you’re pretty hot, it won’t work. They’ll know you’re just a complete egomaniac and it won’t work, and you’ll strut and cop a pose and do all this stuff and they won’t like it. But if you’re tongue-in-cheek, if you’re down-to-earth and grounded, it’ll work.
The next night, Keith took the advice, and it changed everything. He stepped to the front of the stage during a solo and found the audience instantly responding. It was a turning point that helped shape him into the performer he is today.
Fans can witness Keith Urban’s incredible live show on his HIGH AND ALIVE WORLD TOUR. CLICK HERE to see if the trek is coming to a city near you.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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