Inside Kelly Clarkson's Friendship With Keith Urban

From covering each other's songs to sharing wild stories of time on the road, Kelly Clarkson and Keith Urban fans have watched as the two powerhouse musicians have supported each other in their similarly astounding careers over the years. Their sweet interactions on stage, off stage, and on the internet have incited a deep desire in their listeners for more Clarkson and Urban moments, including a musical collaboration.

Many fans expressed excitement over the musicians' chemistry online. Reposting a video of Clarkson singing a cover of the country star's song "Somebody Like You" on X (formerly known as Twitter) in April 2024, Urban said, "Kelly !!!!!! loooooove you singing this. hell, I love you singing anything.... do you take requests ?!" There was one major request from X users in the comment section. "@KeithUrban @kellyclarkson need a collaboration w the two of u. Plz!!! TY [sic]" someone wrote, while another said, "A Kelly Keith duet would be incredible!" Luckily for them, Urban and Clarkson paired up for a performance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show." On a December 2024 episode of the talk show, they sang Urban's "Go Home W U" — Clarkson's voice was a perfect addition to the country hit, taking the place of Lainey Wilson for the duet.

Clarkson's interview with Urban in the episode felt more like close friends catching up. The "One Too Many" singer told hilarious anecdotes, including one where a fan threw her prosthetic leg on stage for him to sign — one of his weirder fan interactions. "I can tell that Keith (although I don't know him) seems to really like Kelly," someone wrote on the Instagram post of the interview.

Kelly Clarkson and Keith Urban's friendship goes way back, with one of their most memorable moments being caught on camera during a 2016 episode of "American Idol." In a tear-jerking performance on the stage where she got her start, Clarkson sang "Piece by Piece," which left the audience, including Urban, stained with tears. When the camera panned to Urban listening to the song intently, the singer appeared to be quietly weeping over Clarkson's quavering voice as she pushed through her emotions to finish the performance.

Clarkson's song retells the story of watching her now ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, become an attentive and loving father, something she never had with her own dad, from whom she was estranged. "I don't know what my father went through as a child, and I don't know why he left and made the decisions he made, but everyone's human," Clarkson told Glamour in 2015. "I don't understand it for me, but I understand the depth of what that is — having a child — now, and he's made me want to be that much more present in my family."

The night Clarkson performed "Piece by Piece" on "American Idol," Urban posted on X: "@kelly_clarkson – I am truly speechless. Thank you for gracing us tonight with your beautiful heart, soul, gift, & your pure humanity! – KU." In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Urban explained why he got so emotional. "I figure you're either crying at this performance or you need to check your pulse," he joked.