Keith Urban Recalls When 'Amazing' Taylor Swift Opened for Him on 2009 Tour: 'She Was Playing Way Past Where She Was'

Mar. 15, 2025

Keith Urban remembers when Taylor Swift opened for him on tour “all too well.“During a Thursday, Dec. 12 appearance onThe Jennifer Hudson Show, the country star, 57, opened up about what it was like having the pop megastar, 34,open for himduring his 2009 Escape Together World Tour.While Urban recalled it was “a long time ago” that Swift supported him on tour, he toldJennifer Hudsonthat the experience “was great.“Taylor Swift and Keith Urban in April 2013.Chris Polk/Getty"She was amazing even back then. I would sit up front and watch her sing and I’m like, ‘Oh, she was singing way off into this other thing.’ You could see it. She was playing way past where she was already. It’s amazing,” the “Blue Ain’t Your Color” artist recalls.During their chat, the host, 43, also played a clip of Swift performing alongside Urban dressed like a member of the bandKISS, which was “a prank” she pulled.“So I have a song called ‘Kiss a Girl,’ and on the last night of the tour, she came out dressed as Ace Frehley from the band KISS. I thought it was KISS for a minute. It was so good,” he said.Urban then opened up about how he ended up collaborating with the 14-time Grammy winner for the track"That’s When,“which was featured onFearless (Taylor’s Version).He also sang harmonies on “We Were Happy,” which was also featured on the LP.“She had a song she wanted me to do, and she just texted me and said, ‘I have a song that I want you to sing on,’ and I said, ‘Can you send me the song?’ The next minute, she texted me the song,” Urban recalls.At the time, he was at a food court at a mall when he received the track.“I’m sitting there with my AirPods in listening to this unreleased Taylor song. It was crazy,” Urban"Well Taylor, I’m waiting for you to text me my song,” Hudson quipped.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Taylor Swift and Keith Urban in October 2015.George Pimentel/LP5/GettyThe “Somebody Like You” musician opened upto PEOPLEabout Swift in May, following the release of herThe Tortured Poets Departmentalbum.“I mean, God, Taylor’s songwriting, it’s so extraordinary. There’s really no adjectives for it,” said the Australian singer. “She’s such a great, great writer. So this new album is just more proof of that in really great ways.”He added: “[Swift] doesn’t sound like anyone. I like singers that you know their voice immediately, and there’s a lot of other singers that sound like them, but they don’t sound like anyone.”

Keith Urban remembers when Taylor Swift opened for him on tour “all too well.”

During a Thursday, Dec. 12 appearance onThe Jennifer Hudson Show, the country star, 57, opened up about what it was like having the pop megastar, 34,open for himduring his 2009 Escape Together World Tour.

While Urban recalled it was “a long time ago” that Swift supported him on tour, he toldJennifer Hudsonthat the experience “was great.”

Taylor Swift and Keith Urban in April 2013.Chris Polk/Getty

“She was amazing even back then. I would sit up front and watch her sing and I’m like, ‘Oh, she was singing way off into this other thing.’ You could see it. She was playing way past where she was already. It’s amazing,” the “Blue Ain’t Your Color” artist recalls.

During their chat, the host, 43, also played a clip of Swift performing alongside Urban dressed like a member of the bandKISS, which was “a prank” she pulled.

“So I have a song called ‘Kiss a Girl,’ and on the last night of the tour, she came out dressed as Ace Frehley from the band KISS. I thought it was KISS for a minute. It was so good,” he said.

Urban then opened up about how he ended up collaborating with the 14-time Grammy winner for the track"That’s When,“which was featured onFearless (Taylor’s Version).He also sang harmonies on “We Were Happy,” which was also featured on the LP.

“She had a song she wanted me to do, and she just texted me and said, ‘I have a song that I want you to sing on,’ and I said, ‘Can you send me the song?’ The next minute, she texted me the song,” Urban recalls.

At the time, he was at a food court at a mall when he received the track.

“I’m sitting there with my AirPods in listening to this unreleased Taylor song. It was crazy,” Urban

“Well Taylor, I’m waiting for you to text me my song,” Hudson quipped.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Taylor Swift and Keith Urban in October 2015.George Pimentel/LP5/Getty

George Pimentel/LP5/Getty

The “Somebody Like You” musician opened upto PEOPLEabout Swift in May, following the release of herThe Tortured Poets Departmentalbum.

“I mean, God, Taylor’s songwriting, it’s so extraordinary. There’s really no adjectives for it,” said the Australian singer. “She’s such a great, great writer. So this new album is just more proof of that in really great ways.”

He added: “[Swift] doesn’t sound like anyone. I like singers that you know their voice immediately, and there’s a lot of other singers that sound like them, but they don’t sound like anyone.”

source: people.com