In the days since fans learned that Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman have broken up, neither party has made an official statement.
But over the years, Urban has never held back from sharing his raw emotion in his music.
And the songs that Urban has recorded for Kidman during their two-decade-long relationship have documented their whole love story: Passion, flaws and all.
Which Songs Did Keith Urban Write for Nicole Kidman?
It’s not a shock that Urban professed his deep love for Kidman in songs like “Gemini” and “Without You.”
More surprising, though, are lyrics that express some fear about the process of falling in love, and admit to fighting old demons, even years into a happy relationship.
Ultimately, the truth about Kidman and Urban’s relationship revealed in these songs is a simple one: They weren’t a perfect couple. They had high points and low points, just like everybody else.
What Did Keith Urban Say About Nicole Kidman in His Love Songs About Her?
“Better Than I Am,” a song that Urban included on his 2020 The Speed of Now Part 1 album, paints a picture of a man working hard to grow in order to be successful in his marriage.
Around that time, the singer described marrying Kidman as a “fork-in-the-road moment” during a conversation on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast.
He pointed to “Better Than I Am” as a reflection on the moment he felt certain that his relationship with Kidman was his “one shot” to “get this right.”
The song’s lyrics admit to sometimes falling short of being a perfect partner. “Have I used you? If I’m honest, maybe sometimes,” he sings in one verse.
Elsewhere, the song alludes to a difficult road to happiness that Urban says “I never wanna take again.” In real life, Urban struggled with addiction during his early courtship with Kidman and went to rehab four months after they got married.
It’s possible that Urban could have written “Better Than I Am” as a retrospective on how he felt earlier in their marriage. But it could also indicate that Urban was still fighting old demons in 2020, when he had been married for a decade and a half.
“Though my past is far behind me, it’s still not as far I want,” he sings in the chorus of the song.
What Other Songs Has Keith Urban Written About Nicole Kidman?
Other songs on this list, including “Right Back on to You,” talk about fighting the impulse to bolt when you’re in the process of falling in love.
And “Steal My Thunder,” a track from 2018, is a love declaration for a woman who often outshines him. “You can steal my thunder any time / I love the way you glow / In the camera lights / On a red carpet roll,” Urban sings in the chorus of that track.
While it’s a message of love, Urban and Kidman’s divorce paints that song in a slightly different light, especially after reports that Urban was “not as supportive” of Kidman’s career — and that could have been a contributing factor in their split.
Keep reading for a list of Kidman-inspired Keith Urban songs that are a little more complicated than just being a batch of adoring love songs.
9 Keith Urban Songs That Were Inspired By Nicole Kidman
During Keith Urban’s two-decade-long love story with Nicole Kidman, the singer recorded several songs inspired by their relationship. Some he wrote just for her, while others were outside cuts that made him think of his own love story.
The only upside to this couple’s devastating divorce news? Maybe we’ll get some amazing new heartbreak music from the country superstar.
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
