Keith Urban is a country western sensation from Australia, but he’s making big headline news in the United States as the husband of actress Nicole Kidman. He’s also helping keep the peace between Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj as a celebrity judge on “American Idol.” Between balancing a successful home life with a career as a musician might be tough, but adding the new gig as one of the reality television competition judges and hitting all the red carpets with his glamorous wife? That might sound daunting to many. But despite all his hard work and constant celebrity appearances, this charming celeb still finds time to help out multiple charities.
Urban was born on October 26, 1967, in Whangarei, North Island, New Zealand, and raised in Australia. His parents gave him his love of American country music.
He has no shortage of charitable energy. According to KNCI 105.1, he donated all the artist and publishing royalties from the sale of his hit single “For You” to the Navy SEAL Foundation, which supports SEAL families and their parents by easing financial burdens, establishing support networks and funding command sponsored activities.
In 2010, Urban and his wife, Nicole Kidman, funded a school in Haiti. According to Ecorazzi, the couple pledged to fund a Port-Au-Prince school for the next five years. The funds went through the Artists for Peace and Justice organization to give educational programs, medical treatment, basic clothing and one hot meal a day.
Since 2008, Urban has been an eco-friendly performer, according to Hollowverse. He made his concert tours more eco-friendly by making his concert t-shirts partly from recycled water bottles and using bio-diesel on his buses.
As an environmentally responsible celebrity, he performed with fellow green celeb Alicia Keys at a Live Earth concert. Live Earth has events and media productions that draw attention toward solving environmental crises.
Biography.com reports that Urban developed his unique country/rock style when he was a teenager. He and had some success in Australia and then headed to Nashville for his big break. He went on to win three Grammy Awards and to serve as a judge during the 2012 season of American Idol.
After making a splash with his first Nashville band and album, he went for a solo career. Urban was quickly welcomed by such big name artists as the Dixie Chicks and Kenny Chesney.
He married actor Nicole Kidman in 2006 and the couple has two daughters, Sunday Rose Kidman Urban and Faith Margaret Kidman Urban. That connection to his new family might be part of why he appears to favor so many of the female singers on the 2013 season of “American Idol.”
Keith Urban has already indicated to media insiders that he truly believes one of the girls on the show will win this year, even going so far as to suggest that the male vocalists performances pale in comparison.