Keith Urban sparked considerable debate amongst country music fans after performing at Mar-a-Lago, President Trump’s Palm Beach resort, in November.
The private concert wasn’t hosted by Trump himself, but rather Australian billionaire Anthony Pratt, who is known to be a Trump donor.
The performance left many questioning Urban’s political stance, particularly given his previous public statements about his beliefs. Among those with concerns was Breland, a frequent collaborator who co-wrote tracks for Urban’s 2020 album The Speed of Now Part 1.
Speaking on Rolling Stone‘s Nashville Now podcast, Breland addressed the controversy directly, though he admitted he hasn’t yet discussed the matter with Urban personally. “I don’t love what that looks like as far as an endorsement, given other things that he’s publicly stated about his beliefs and where he lies on things. I think it can be misconstrued,” Breland explained.
Despite his reservations, Breland emphasised his personal relationship with the Australian artist. “I’m giving Keith the benefit of the doubt because I know him personally, and we’ve travelled together and made a lot of music together, and I know his heart,” he said. However, he acknowledged that others might make assumptions about Urban’s character based solely on the performance.
Drawing parallels to other controversial performances, Breland referenced Nelly’s appearance at the presidential inauguration. “I feel the same way about that that I felt about Nelly playing the inauguration — which is, go make your bag, so long as you are comfortable with the implications,” he stated.
Breland expressed his intention to have a direct conversation with Urban about the decision, much like he did with Nelly. When asked about his inauguration performance, Nelly explained it wasn’t political but rather about being “a good American citizen” due to his military background. Breland noted he didn’t necessarily agree but respected the thought process.
The songwriter suggested the performance would have been less controversial if it involved artists who have been openly supportive of the current administration. “I do think it would be a good look for a Jason Aldean, or Cody Johnson, or Nate Smith, who have been very public about their political affiliations,” Breland observed.
