Keith Urban changes Nicole Kidman inspired song lyrics amid divorce

Country star Keith Urban drew attention during a recent live performance after changing the lyrics of one of his most personal songs, “The Fighter,” originally written about his relationship with Nicole Kidman. The moment came just days before news of the couple’s separation was confirmed.

In footage shared on Instagram by Urban’s utility player and rising country artist Maggie Baugh, the 57-year-old singer altered a key line in the song. The original lyric, “When they’re tryna get to you, baby I’ll be the fighter,” was changed to “When they’re tryna get to you, Maggie I’ll be your guitar player.” Baugh, 25, captioned the clip with emojis expressing shock and wrote, “Did he just say that👀.”

Urban’s performance and lyric change came shortly before PEOPLE confirmed that Kidman, 58, had filed for divorce in Nashville on September 30, citing irreconcilable differences. The couple’s separation was listed as occurring the same day. Urban and Kidman had been married for 19 years and share two daughters, Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 14. Kidman also has two adult children with former husband Tom Cruise.

“The Fighter,” featured on Urban’s 2016 album Ripcord, was inspired by the early stages of his romance with Kidman. In a 2017 interview with Billboard, Urban explained that the song reflected his vow to protect and care for her, describing it as a conversation rooted in tenderness during their relationship’s beginnings.

Urban has been touring with Baugh as part of his High and Alive World Tour, with concerts scheduled through mid-October and additional shows planned in the Bahamas and the U.K. in 2026. Sources close to both stars told PEOPLE that Urban had been struggling personally and making “questionable choices,” contributing to the couple’s split.