“Keith has no shortage of shoulders to cry on.”

While news of his divorce from Nicole Kidman sent shockwaves around the world, Keith Urban has been quietly processing his split behind the scenes for several months now, relying on the support of his closest friends as he battles his heartbreak.

The 57-year-old is understood to have leaned especially on fellow country singer Kelsea Ballerini, who understands better than most what Keith is going through following her own divorce in November 2022.

She was married to Morgan Evans, another country artist, for almost five years. At the time, she claimed that the split was due to irreconcilable differences.
Kelsea and Keith are reportedly helping “nurse” each other through their respective recent heartbreak. (Credit: Getty)
In a later interview with Alex Cooper on the Call Her Daddy podcast in February 2023, Kelsea shed further light on the end of her marriage, revealing that she felt “really depleted and not understood.”

In early 2023, the Cowboys Cry Too singer began dating Outer Banks star Chase Stokes, but mere days prior to Keith and Nicole’s divorce becoming public knowledge, she too confirmed her romance with Chase had ended.

While Keith and Nicole have yet to release a public statement about their divorce, this hasn’t stopped speculation as to the real reasons their marriage came to an end after 19 years.

“He and Nicole went from being total soul mates who were joined at the hip to this couple who were ultimately like ships passing in the night,” an insider source previously shared with New Idea.
Keith, Kelsea, and actor Anthony Mackie at the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards in April 2022. (Credit: Getty)
TMZ has since reported that the father-of-two has already moved on with another woman, with The Daily Mail later reporting that his new beau is a “younger woman in the music industry.”

Despite speculation that he had started dating his tour guitarist, Maggie Baugh, after controversially changing a lyric in a love song he originally penned for Nicole to mention Maggie’s name instead, friends close to the musician have slammed any rumours that anything more than a professional relationship exists between the pair.

New Idea also does not suggest that Kelsea is the younger woman in question that Keith is secretly seeing.

While nothing more than a friendship exists between Keith and Kelsea, the pair are surely bonding over their shared heartbreak as they both grapple with the end of their respective relationships.

“Keith has no shortage of shoulders to cry on,” an insider told our sister publication Woman’s Day in reference to his friendship with Kelsea, who is understood to be “staying positive” and grateful for “such a strong support network,” after her split from Chase, according to Us Weekly.
Keith and Kelsea, with their ex-spouses, Nicole Kidman and Morgan Evans, at the 52nd annual CMA Awards in November 2018. (Credit: Getty)
Keith and Kelsea have been close friends for several years after Kelsea opened for the Blue Ain’t Your Colour singer on his 2018 Graffiti U tour.

“She looks at Keith like an older figure, as well as a career mentor, and really values his advice more than most,” a source close to Kelsea shared recently with GLOBE magazine.

“So, it’s certain that he’ll be key in helping her pick up the pieces and move on,” they added.

The artists last performed onstage together in January this year, where they sang Keith’s song Stupid Boy.