Keith Urban on American Idol Season 12: "It's a Girl's Year to Win"

On February 20, 2013, Fox held a press conference call with American Idol Season 12 judge Keith Urban, timed to the Sudden Death Round airing that evening at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific. The call took place from Las Vegas, where the show had moved for the live rounds. Premier Guide Miami was among the outlets on the call.

At least from what we just saw last night, it's absolutely a girl's year to win, in my opinion.

The girls have the edge

Urban was unequivocal when asked whether Season 12 could finally break the show's six-year drought without a female winner. "All I can say is at least from what we just saw last night it's absolutely a girl's year to win, in my opinion," he said. "That's not to say the guys aren't strong because they really are. It's really more a testament to how strong the girls are this year." He credited the panel itself as a factor — specifically Mariah Carey's presence. "Inarguably one of the world's great vocalists period. This is a global vocal powerhouse and any girl, I think, would love the opportunity to sing for Mariah and get feedback from her." Among the standouts he cited Angela Miller, whose original song had already been circulating online: "The audience reaction last night to Angela Miller and a couple of other girls was pretty obvious. That original song of Angela's that's been floating around the Internet has really resonated with a lot of people."

Instant chemistry with Nicki Minaj

Urban had never met Nicki Minaj before the show. The entire panel — Ryan Seacrest, Mariah Carey, Nicki, Randy Jackson, and Urban — went to dinner in New York the night before the first day of shooting. "The very next day when we got into shooting what I really liked about Nicki was just her straight shooting directism," he said. "For me, growing up in Australia I like being around people that are just absolutely raw and straight and tell it like it is. So I just kind of clicked with Nicki right from the get go." He described the panel dynamic in characteristically musical terms: "When I joined this panel I felt like I just joined a band. I'm on guitar. Randy's on bass, we've got two chick singers and this is our band. That's what it feels like to me."

On critiquing — and the cost of caring

Urban pushed back on any suggestion that he was simply being nice. "I'm trying to give specific direction, if it's something they can work on," he said. "I try to deliver it in a way in which I'd like people to deliver it to me." But he was candid about the emotional weight of the role. "I get connected with these artists and I see something in them that I wish got a chance to shine a bit more next week. It's really disheartening to see them have to go." He also acknowledged the particular difficulty of the environment the contestants are working in: "That's an extraordinary thing, particularly when you're young, 18 or whatever, and you're standing there in front of us, in front of all about 1,700 people that were in the theater last night and countless millions watching at home, and there you are, right in front of it, but you've got limited time to do your thing."

On mentoring — and why it should be quiet

Asked whether he could see the show taking on a more explicit mentoring role as the competition narrowed, Urban was enthusiastic — with one caveat. "I absolutely think it would be interesting. That certainly is something I would enjoy." But he was careful about what that should look like. "I don't like people being too aware of that advice. I think it's a very dangerous thing when it gets too cerebral. I think it's just a quiet thing from one artist to another to help them and the audience shouldn't know anything about that." He connected it to his work with the Grammy Kids Camp: "There's just so much that we have to pass on. There are so many questions young artists have and I think there's just a lot of learning curves we can help them not have to go through — without keeping them from their own journey."

Kree Harrison and the Adele comparison

When asked about potential country contenders, Urban singled out Kree Harrison with a pointed comparison. "Certainly Kree is an extraordinarily gifted singer in an unusual way because she's so effortless in the way she sings. There's nothing over the top, sort of big theatrical — there's nothing theatrical and large about her as a performer. She has this incredibly authentic voice in the same way that Adele has that incredibly authentic voice and I just believe her when she sings." The Adele reference was not accidental — Urban returned to it when discussing the broader question of voice versus the full package. "Adele famously said, 'I make music for the ears not the eyes.' There's a lot to be said for just an extraordinary voice. It can make up for all the rest."

Life with Nicole Kidman and the daughters

Urban's daughters had visited the Las Vegas set the day before the call. He described a morning at home that morning: "I had the music cranked up during breakfast and they would sort of eat a bit and then start dancing around the floor and then go back and eat a bit more and then dance a bit more. I just thought, 'What an awesome way to start the morning, having a little food and dancing.'" On whether Nicole Kidman had favorites among the contestants: "Nic is always curious if I've seen somebody that stands out." And on the question of balance — a schedule that includes touring, judging, and fatherhood — Urban was measured. "I think the way it actually works from day to day is navigated a lot more peacefully than I think it would probably appear on the outside. I have an extraordinary wife in Nic who's an amazing mother. She just does a beautiful job of helping keep it all in balance." American Idol: The Sudden Death Round aired February 20, 2013 on Fox.

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