Country music star Keith Urban recently found himself in hot water after comparing an Ariana Grande song to “audible heroin,” a remark that reportedly upset his wife, actress Nicole Kidman. Urban made the comparison during a concert where he performed an acoustic rendition of Grande’s song “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” and later reiterated it in an interview with People magazine.
In his Instagram post sharing the performance, Urban, 56, expressed his obsession with the song, captioning the video, “This song is audible heroin.” In the interview, Urban elaborated, explaining that he was inexplicably drawn to the song and couldn’t stop playing it. He compared its addictive quality to “audible heroin” and admitted that he felt compelled to listen to it repeatedly.
While fans appreciated Urban’s rendition and his enthusiastic praise for Grande’s music, the comment struck a nerve with Kidman due to Urban’s past struggles with addiction. According to sources close to the couple, Kidman was “disappointed” by her husband’s analogy. It brought back painful memories of a dark period in their marriage when Urban battled substance abuse.
In 2006, just months after their marriage, Kidman staged an intervention that led Urban to seek treatment at the Betty Ford Center. Urban has been candid about his addiction issues and the significant role Kidman played in his recovery. Reflecting on the intervention during a conversation with Oprah Winfrey, Urban described the profound impact of the moment, stating that the love and support he felt in the room were unparalleled, something he had never experienced before.
The couple’s journey through Urban’s addiction has been well-documented, with Urban openly expressing his regret for not getting sober sooner. In a 2018 interview at the South by Southwest conference, Keith Urban reflected on his battle with addiction. He admitted that realizing he wasn’t reaching his full potential began to weigh on him, making him feel trapped and constrained.
Urban’s struggle with addiction and his subsequent recovery have significantly influenced both his personal life and his music career. He acknowledged that his song lyrics about love and relationships often did not align with his real-life behavior before meeting Nicole Kidman. Reflecting on his past relationships, Urban shared an example where he played “Somebody Like You” for his then-girlfriend, who bluntly called him a hypocrite—a criticism he couldn’t argue against.
Despite the recent controversy, Urban continues to perform and share his love for music. His cover of Grande’s song received positive feedback from fans and even a warm response from Grande herself, who commented on his Instagram post, “This is so beautiful 🥹 & thank youuuuu!”
Urban and Kidman, who have been married since 2006, share two daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret. The couple’s ability to navigate through Urban’s addiction challenges has been a testament to their strong bond and mutual support. However, the recent incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing sensitivity surrounding addiction and the impact it has on loved ones.