Nicole Kidman Is On Everyone's Lips After Keith Urban's Dusty 2025 CMA Performance

Well, at least he wasn't one of the fashion disasters at the 2025 CMA Awards, but Keith Urban's appearance at the famed country music event wasn't a smash hit, either. The "Somebody Like You" musician made his first onstage appearance since his split from Nicole Kidman in September 2025. In retrospect, the red flags in Urban and Kidman's marriage seem easy to spot, yet the news still came as a shock to the couple's fans. Urban was an unexpected part of the opening segment with host Lainey Wilson, playing his popular song "Where the Blacktop Ends." 

If Urban had hoped his awards-show appearance would be viewed as a triumphant comeback, he must have come away disappointed at the end of the evening. The social media world wasn't interested in critiquing his performance; they were just shocked to see him. "Sure didn't think Keith Urban would show up at the CMAs to be honest," admitted one commenter on X, formerly Twitter. Another was far more blunt: "Booooooo Keith Urban." Other country music fans still mourned the breakup of what had appeared to be a happy celeb marriage, despite rumors that Urban might be having an affair with his guitarist Maggie Baugh. "I need Nicole Kidman to tell us why she left Keith Urban!" a writer demanded. 

However, even if Urban's song had been a show-stopper — it wasn't — he would have had a hard time winning over the crowds. Unfortunately for him, this came just days after another gig which was even more controversial.

Over the weekend of November 15, Keith Urban made a most unexpected appearance at Mar-a-Lago. The Palm Beach resort is, of course, the place President Donald Trump calls home when he's not at the White House, not to mention the apparent model for all the opulent renovations he's making there. Urban was asked to perform at a swanky dinner hosted by fellow Australian Anthony Pratt. Naturally, the president was there as well, leading to lots of speculation that Urban might be cozying up to Trump, and that this might have played a part in his divorce. "Grounds for irreconcilable differences. Good move Nicole," commented a user on Instagram.

Adding fuel to the debate was that Urban played Chappell Roan's anthem "Pink Pony Club," about a queer woman escaping her disapproving family and finding acceptance at a gay bar. It was an odd choice, considering the dim view conservative Trump supporters take on the LGBTQ+ community. It's a number Urban covered at other concerts; as he explained on the Intimate & Interactive podcast (per YouTube), he relates to the feeling of finding "somewhere where you finally realize you belong there." Critics didn't see it that way; one shook their head at "the concept of wealthy republicans listening to a song about queer gogo dancers." Another agreed, "They consume the art while condemning the artists."

Yet one fan thought the country superstar wasn't such a "Stupid Boy." They declared, "Keith Urban low key trolled the MAGA crowd at Mar A Lago by playing Pink Pony Club without most of them realizing they got trolled. Take that paycheck, Keith Urban!"