Country superstar Keith Urban is paying it forward to the next generation of artists. The four-time Grammy winner has announced the Keith Urban Rising Star Scholarship, a new program aimed at supporting young aspiring country musicians in his native Australia. Launched in partnership with the famed Tamworth Country Music Festival – the very festival where Urban got his start – the scholarship will each year select one emerging artist from Australia and give them a career-boosting opportunity of a lifetime. Eligibility is broad (open to any young up-and-coming country artist in Australia), and the purpose is clear: to catapult a rising talent onto the global stage.
The scholarship winner will earn a trip to Nashville, the heart of country music, with unparalleled access to kickstart their dreams. Urban’s team will host the artist in Nashville, where they’ll get to perform live in the city, meet industry professionals, and spend two days recording at Urban’s personal studio, The Sound. (The studio, once known as the legendary Tracking Room, is where countless hits have been made – a fitting place for a newcomer to cut their teeth.) Announcing the initiative, Urban emphasized how much a break like this can mean to a young musician. “Sometimes all a musician needs is an opportunity to be heard or someone to help nurture their talent,” Urban said in a statement. “Having the chance to do that not only inspires me, but I’m hoping this scholarship will also inspire others.” Applications are set to open in January 2026 via the Tamworth festival’s official site, giving hopeful artists a chance to throw their hat in the ring.
For Urban, this project is a full-circle moment. Back in 1989, a 22-year-old Keith Urban won Tamworth’s Star Maker competition – a similar talent search – which helped launch him from small-town Aussie singer to international country icon. Decades later, with a trophy case that includes multiple Grammys, CMAs, and ACMs, Urban has never forgotten his roots. He has a track record of mentoring and championing new talent, whether it’s inviting fresh faces as opening acts on his tours, collaborating with young artists, or serving as a coach and judge on music competition shows. “Having had people who believed in me early on, I know how crucial that support can be,” Urban suggested, underscoring his motivation. Tamworth festival organizers agree: one executive called Keith “the living embodiment” of their festival’s pathway to success and lauded him for giving back to the industry that shaped him. In launching the Rising Star Scholarship, Urban continues to lift others up the ladder behind him. It’s a gesture of gratitude and optimism – a new door opening for Aussie country dreamers to step through, guided by someone who’s been there before.
