Billboard requires a JavaScript enabled browser to get the full experience

Keith Urban Releases Live Tracks, Interviews on 'iTunes Originals'

by Gary Graff, Detroit  |   July 23, 2009 8:04 EDT
Danny Clinch

Interview segments and new, live-in-studio recordings of six songs -- including three from his latest album, the chart-topping "Defying Gravity" -- are featured on Keith Urban's just-released iTunes Originals.

Urban treats his fans to fresh renditions of "Defying Gravity's" second single, "Kiss a Girl," its current single "Only You Can Love Me This Way" and the track "Til Summer Comes Around."

"There was a particular clarity that I had with who I am and what I wanted to say and what kind of music I like making," he tells Billboard.com. "On this record I didn't do a lot of second guessing. I think I might have done a lot of second guessing in the past, and with this record I just operated much more from instinct. I just kept everything spontaneous, and I think it is a much stronger record because of that approach."

The rest of the iTunes Originals offers a career overview spanning the New Zealand-born, Australian-raised country star's recording career. It features new renditions of "Who Wouldn't Want to Be Me," "Days Go By" and "Tonight I Wanna Cry," as well as the original album versions of "But For the Grace of God," "You'll Think of Me," "Making Memories of Us," "Raise the Barn" and "Defying Gravity's" first single, "Sweet Thing."

The collection mixes the songs with a dozen interview segments, featuring Urban talking about how he got started, his first Grammy Award and the pressures of following up successful albums.

"I feel touched when I see people singing along with the songs and you just see the love, the want and the joy and the fact that they're so with you in the moment," Urban says at one juncture. "It's a really blessed job that I have that I get to see that."

"Defying Gravity," co-produced by Urban and Dann Huff, was released on March 31 and debuted as Urban's first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Urban is touring North America until Oct. 9 and has dates booked in Australia for December.

Up for Discussion

Connect with

More Features

All features

All of Billboard.com's Great Lists

Billboard chart app

Billboard archives

Thanks For Joining Billboard

Log in to create your profile, speak your mind and connect with listeners like you.

Why Join ?

Don't just hear it. Live it. Go deeper than a casual listen: Voice your feelings, build a profile around your favorite music, connect with people who share your passions and discover new ones. Sign up for free.

Complete Your Registration at Billboard.com!

Haven't Joined Yet ?

For the full Billboard experience, you need to be a member. Sign up. It's free.

Join Billboard

Forgot your password?

Enter the e-mail address you used to sign up and we will email you the password .

Email Sent !

Your password has been sent to the email address you provided. Please sign in below :

Log In

Forget your password ?

Action Successful

We'd love to hear your feedback on the new Billboard.com!

Whether it's a feature request or a bug

We want to hear from you. Please use this form to anonymously give us your input.