Keith Urban’s Soulful, A Capella Version of The National Anthem Is Mesmerizing
Keith Urban may be from down under, but he pulled off a stellar version of the American National Anthem.
In 2017, Urban sang ”The Star Spangled Banner” at an NHL game where The Nashville Predators were playing. He sang a capella to a mesmerized crowd, hitting the high notes perfectly.
“I’ve lived in America for 25 years,” he told the NHL Network at the time, according to E! “I’ve never been asked to sing the National Anthem before, so it’s an honor to do it here in Nashville for the Preds.” Admittedly, he was “plenty” nervous to sing. “It’s a nerve-wracking experience, but above all, it’s a huge honor. For me, for all the years I’ve lived here, it’s probably one of the proudest moments ever in my life.”
Keith Urban as a Mega Mentor on The Voice Season 25
On March 25, it was announced that Urban will join Season 25 of The Voice as a Mega Mentor. His first episode will be Monday, April 8, and he will be assigned the task of guiding Artists as they prepare for the Knockout rounds.
The country star is certainly familiar with The Voice universe, as he has served as a Coach on The Voice Australia on Seasons 1, 10, and 11. He was also the advisor to former Coach Blake Shelton during Season 15. Then, for the Season 24 Finale of The Voice, Urban sang an epic version of his single ”Blue Ain’t Your Color.”
Keith Urban on The Voice Season 24. Photo: Trae Patton/NBC
In a 2023 interview with Billboard, Urban talked about what he looks for in a successful performance when it comes to singing competition shows.
”I love somebody doing their own interpretation of a song. I would be making sure that they don’t do a straight cover unless [that] version brings out the best in them. You just don’t want to be a cover singer. You want to show that you’re an artist with your own artistry. I’m gonna be interested to see what songs they choose. I think they’ve each chosen two or three songs of mine and we’ll narrow that down to the one that they’ll do,” he told the outlet.
He also reflected on what qualities a singer needs to survive in the industry.
”I think a big part of growing as an artist is knowing what advice to take but also knowing what advice to completely discard, no matter who is saying it to you. Your path and creative expression may be something so incredibly unique that it just breaks every rule. So I’m a big believer in looking for the strength of an artist — the passion, hunger, curiosity and dedication to it. And at the end of the day, you have to believe in yourself and the journey that you are on. It’s the only thing that will navigate you through all of the shine blockers and the naysayers out there,” he said.
