Keith Urban made a surprising return to the CMA Awards stage for the first time since news of his split from Nicole Kidman. On Wednesday, November 19, the 58-year-old country star performed his 1999 hit “Where the Blacktop Ends” alongside host Lainey Wilson at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena during the 59th Annual CMA Awards.

Urban’s appearance came as the finale to Wilson’s opening medley, which celebrated hits from some of her famous friends in the audience, including Miranda Lambert, Shaboozey, and Little Big Town. The crowd erupted as Urban stepped on stage, guitar in hand, joining Wilson for the duet. After their performance, Wilson introduced Billy Ray Cyrus and Elizabeth Hurley as the first presenters of the night.

The 2025 CMA Awards also featured performances from stars such as Ella Langley, Kelsea Ballerini, BigXthaPlug, Brandi Carlile, Kenny Chesney, Luke Combs, Riley Green, Patty Loveless, Megan Moroney, Old Dominion, The Red Clay Strays, Shaboozey, Chris Stapleton, Zach Top, Tucker Wetmore, and Stephen Wilson Jr.

A Personal Comeback

Urban and Kidman, 58, announced their separation over the summer, with Kidman filing for divorce after 19 years of marriage. Since then, Urban returned to live performances, kicking off his High and Alive World Tour at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Earlier, in the premiere episode of The Road on CBS, filmed months before the split became public, Urban opened up about the challenges of life on tour:

“It’s a calling and you’re born to do it—or you’re not gonna make it,” he said. “When you wake up on a tour bus at 3:30 in the morning, sick, far from home, and you’ve got to perform again that night, it’s lonely and miserable. You ask yourself, ‘Why am I doing this?’ The only answer is: ‘Because this is what I’m born to do.’”