Keith Urban made a dramatic return to the CMA Awards stage just weeks after confirming his split from Nicole Kidman. With lyric rewrites, swirling romance rumours, and a high-voltage duet with Lainey Wilson, the country star arrived with pure post-breakup energy.

keith urban and nicole kidman are seperatedkeith urban and nicole kidman are seperated | Credit: Instagram/nicolekidman

Keith Urban walked into the 2025 CMA Awards like a man ready to start a new chapter, with the entire country music world watching. Less than two months after he and Nicole Kidman announced their separation, the singer opened the show with a charged, high-energy performance that had fans instantly analysing every move.

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Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have separated after 20 years of marriage | Credit: X/letmehearitonx

Keith Urban’s big post-breakup return

Clad in an all-black fit (because nothing says “fresh start” like blackout chic), Keith teamed up with host Lainey Wilson to perform “Where the Blacktop Ends”. And yes, he updated the lyrics again because apparently, this is his new favourite form of emotional expression.

Lainey Wilson’s country Medley took over the room

Before Keith stepped out, Lainey delivered a chaotic, crowd-pleasing mashup of country classics, from Lady A’s “Need You Now” to Gretchen Wilson’s “Redneck Woman”. She even brought out Ella Langley, who had just snagged Single of the Year for “you look like you love me”.

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Nicole Kidman’s split from Keith Urban sparks unverified cheating claims | Credit: X/@PopBaseBy the time Keith joined her, the audience was already buzzing, and he knew it.

Keith rewrites his life… and his lyrics

Keith swapped “country-bound” for “CMAs-bound,” continuing his recent pattern of rewriting his own music like it is a live diary. Fans immediately clocked the callback to his September tour, when he changed lyrics in “The Fighter” a song famously inspired by his marriage to Nicole.

That moment previously sparked rumours about Keith’s dynamic with touring guitarist Maggie Baugh. But fellow country singer Alexandra Kay was quick to clear the air, saying firmly that there was absolutely no romance and that Maggie was happily dating someone else.

Nicole Kidman considering leaving America with husband Keith Urban after a
Credit: X

Navigating divorce in the spotlight

While Keith keeps quiet about the breakup, Nicole Kidman has taken a soulful approach to this new chapter. In a recent interview, she reflected on how past experiences have taught her resilience, saying she now understands that even painful moments have a path forward.

It was a sentiment fans felt echoed in Keith’s newest stage presence less heartbreak, more recalibration, with a dash of country-boy swagger.

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Is Nicole Kidman paying Keith Urban millions over their divorce? | Credit: X/enerianna

CMA Awards turn into a full-blown reunion night

With major stars hitting the carpet and delivering powerhouse performances, the 2025 CMAs became both a celebration of country music and a reminder that nothing stays the same for long, not careers, not relationships, not even famous song lyrics.