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Keith Urban's 'High': Everything you need to know about the new album
20 September 2024, 15:53 | Updated: 20 September 2024, 15:55
Country star Keith Urban visited the Smooth Country studio to celebrate the release of his 'High' album.
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Keith Urban has just released his eleventh studio album, High.
Fans had already been treated to some of the album's songs, including 'MESSED UP AS ME' and 'WILDSIDE'.
The 12-track release also features a duet with CMA Entertainer of the Year, Lainey Wilson.
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Keith visited the Smooth Country studio to chat with Eamonn Kelly ahead of its release, revealing the inspiration behind some of the songs and how it was almost a very different album.
Watch the full interview on Global Player here.
Keith Urban's High was almost a very different album
Keith revealed that he actually worked on an entirely different album in 2022 with plans to release the following year, but wasn't happy with the finished product.
That scrapped album, titled 615, featured thirteen songs – but four of those songs did manage to survive.
"'MESSED UP AS ME', 'DAYTONA', 'HEART LIKE A HOMETOWN', and 'BREAK THE CHAIN', I love those four songs," Keith said. "So I cherry-picked those four, scrapped the rest, and started rebuilding, and that album became High."
Starting a brand new album meant Keith's initial tour plans had to be pushed back a year.
"We should have been touring in '24," Urban explained. "But last year when I wasn't happy with the record, I could see the writing on the wall.
Keith Urban - MESSED UP AS ME (Official Music Video)
"I went, 'Let's push the tour off into '25. Let's do this right. Let's get these songs done. Let me feel good about this'."
Keith goes on to reveal that when he moved to Nashville, someone asked him what his goal was.
The singer replied that he wanted "to get a record deal", to which they responded: "No, the goal is to get the right record deal. One that gives you creative freedom and final say, because you're going to really want that."
Keith explains why he was grateful for that wisdom.
"At the end of the day, I'm the one that's going to live or die by those choices. And I'd much rather have a failure that was my choice than somebody else's."
Keith Urban on 'MESSED UP AS ME'
"This is one of the songs that was on the previous record I was working on," Keith explained.
"I've been this guy in the song." He laughs, adding: "I know this couple in the song really well. I know this place."
The singer tells Eamonn that the song has already been a hit with his fans.
"I'm really glad that the song is connected the way it has. And even when we started playing it live, people were responding to it."
Keith Urban talks about working with Lainey Wilson on 'GO HOME W U'
Keith actually approached Lainey Wilson directly when wanted her to collaborate on 'Go Home W U'.
"I knew about Lainey a couple of years ago and went, okay, I'd love to find something for us to do because I love her voice."
Urban had already recorded the song – but it wasn't a duet at that point.
"A friend of mine, Dan McCarroll, said that would actually be a really good duet."
Keith told him he had the "perfect person", and sent Lainey a message.
"Luckily she loved the song and just took it to another level. It was so fun getting to do that with her."
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When Lainey recorded her part in the studio, she didn't do just one version, but instead sent Keith "a whole bunch of different takes of the song".
You might remember that Wilson won the Entertainer of the Year award at the CMA Awards in 2023 – and it was Urban who presented her the accolade.
"If you watch that moment back, I've got an extra level of elation because I know we've got this song sitting waiting to come out," Keith said.
Keith Urban reveals the inspiration behind 'WILDSIDE'
"I've lived in Nashville a long time and, prior to meeting my wife, I knew a lot of girls that were southern raised," Keith explained.
"Very sort of prim and proper and a particular kind of southern raising in America.
"Five days a week, they're super professional, super diligent, on time, reliable, just all this stuff very, almost straight-laced five days a week.
"And then on a Friday night, if you're lucky enough, you get to see this other side... It's the best."
Keith Urban - WILDSIDE (Official Audio)
Keith Urban High full tracklist:
1. “BLUE SKY”
2. STRAIGHT LINE
3. MESSED UP AS ME
4. WILDSIDE
5. GO HOME W U (WITH LAINEY WILSON)
6. CHUCK TAYLORS
7. DAYTONA
8. LOVE IS HARD
9. HEART LIKE A HOMETOWN
10. LAUGHIN’ ALL THE WAY TO THE DRANK
11. DODGE IN A SILVERADO
12. BREAK THE CHAIN
Watch the full interview on Global Player here.
