Keith Urban Announces 'Graffiti U' Release Date

Keith Urban fans only need to wait a couple more weeks for new music! The 50-year-old reveals his latest album, Graffiti U, will be released on April 27.

Urban recently released "Coming Home," from Graffiti U, featuring Julia Michaels.

"'Coming Home'" started with an idea I had of using the intro of one of my favorite [Merle] Haggard songs 'Mama Tried' - to build an entirely new song around it," explains Urban. "Then, I took the idea to [songwriter] J.R. Rotem and he put some chords around it. I jotted down the first words that themusic made me feel, jumped on a mic and sang the chorus."

"Hearing that rolling Haggard guitar lick sparked memories of my childhood - and my dream to
come to America." Urban continues. "I knew right then the story (of the song) was about the
struggles of being in a city where your dreams have brought you, but far from your home –
wherever, whomever and whatever that is for each of us."

Urban will kick off his Graffiti U Tour on June 15, with Kelsea Ballerini serving as his opening act.

"I've been full-on writing, recording, collaborating and creating with some incredibly talented people for Graffiti U, a lot of whom I've never worked with before," Urban says of the new set of tunes. "I can hear how some of the songs will translate live already, which really makes putting on a new show so exhilarating."

The New Zealand-born star released Ripcord in 2016, and then immediately began working on what became Graffiti U.

"You never finish, you just give up," he says. "The hard part is realizing that I finished the album ages ago and that I've actually started the next one but nobody has told me. I have to delineate when the end of that one is, otherwise I will just go on and on!"

Urban is nominated for five 2018 ACM Awards, including Male Vocalist of the Year and the night's highest honor, Entertainer of the Year. The 2018 ACM Awards will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 15, at 8:00 PM ET on CBS.

Graffiti U is Urban's ninth studio album. The 13-track record will be available for pre-order on April 6. Download "Coming Home" on iTunes. A list of all of the shows on Urban's upcoming Graffiti U Tour can be found on his website.

Graffiti U Track Listing:

Coming Home
Never Comin Down
Same Heart
My Wave
Parallel Line
Drop Top
Way Too Long
Horses
Gemini
Texas Time
Love The Way It Hurts (So Good)
Female
Steal My Thunder

Photo Credit: Facebook/Keith Urban