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Keith Urban swapped out a key lyric from his song, “The Fighter” – a track famously inspired by his soon-to-be ex-wife, Nicole Kidman.
The country superstar is now raising eyebrows after fans discovered that during a recent live performance, he changed the words to his 2017 duet with Carrie Underwood to reference a musician in his touring band, Maggie Baugh, 25
“When they’re tryna get to you, Maggie, I’ll be your guitar player,” Urban, 57, sang onstage — replacing the original line, “When they’re tryna get to you, baby, I’ll be the fighter.”
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Country star Keith Urban recently altered his song “The Fighter,” originally inspired by Nicole Kidman. (Matt Winkelmeyer)
The moment was caught on video and posted to Instagram by Baugh.
She wrote in her caption, “Did he just say that,” accompanied with the eyes emoji.
The clip was shared on Saturday, Sept. 26 — just days before news broke that Urban and Kidman were calling it quits after nearly two decades of marriage.
Fans had mixed reactions to the video of the lyric swap.
Maggie Baugh and Keith Urban perform during the iHeartCountry Festival at the Moody Center on May 4, 2024, in Austin, Texas. (Amy E. Price/Getty Images)
“Nicole deserves better,” one comment read.
Another fan wrote, “Wow, that song was made for Nicole. For him to do that tells us what he’s really all about. That’s just disgusting.”
Others didn’t see a problem with the lyric swap.
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“I think he really loves having you on stage with him, Maggie. Keith recognizes talent when he sees and hears it,” one fan wrote.
Another comment read, “Nobody knows what happened between Keith and Nicole… Leave it alone.”
Urban and Baugh have been on the road together all summer. The “High and Alive World Tour” continues through mid-October, with more dates scheduled in the Bahamas and U.K. into 2026.
Back in 2017, Urban shared that “The Fighter” was a personal song dedicated to Kidman. (Francis Specker)
In 2017, Urban shared that “The Fighter” was a personal song dedicated to Kidman.
“It’s all from a conversation my wife and I had early on in our relationship,” Urban told Billboard at the time. “That when things get tough, I need to hold her tighter and just try to take care of her.”
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He called the song “really like a vow,” and described Kidman as “female and tender.”
“I want that tenderness to not have to get hardened to the world. That’s my job as her husband — to put myself around her so she can remain that way,” he said.
“And that’s really the chorus of ‘The Fighter.’”
The lyric moment came before news broke that Kidman had officially filed for divorce on Sept. 30, ending 19 years of marriage. (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
On Sept. 30, Kidman had filed for divorce from Urban, ending 19 years of marriage. She cited “irreconcilable differences” and ongoing “marital difficulties,” according to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital.
Kidman listed Sept. 30 as the couple’s date of separation.
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Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban depart The Mark Hotel for the 2024 Met Gala on May 6, 2024 in New York City. (Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for The Mark Hotel)
In the filing, the “Big Little Lies” star asked to be named the primary residential parent of the couple’s two daughters.
She also requested the court approve a parenting plan that would give her 306 days a year with the children, leaving 59 days annually with Urban.
Kidman and Urban share two daughters: Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret.
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Fox News Digital’s Tracy Wright contributed to this report.
Stephanie Giang-Paunon is an Entertainment Writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to stephanie.giang@fox.com and on Twitter: @SGiangPaunon.
