Keith Urban Compares Miley Cyrus’ Singing Voice to an ‘Ashtray’: ‘I Love That Voice’

Country artist Keith Urban has offered a peculiar yet well-meaning compliment to Miley Cyrus, likening her distinctive vocal timbre to an unlikely object: an ashtray. This unconventional praise came during Urban’s appearance on the Australian podcast Fitzy and Wippa With Kate Ritchie, where he expressed his admiration for Cyrus’s unique sound.

Urban, a four-time Grammy winner, didn’t mince words when discussing Cyrus’s singing prowess. “I’ve always loved Miley. I love her voice, man,” he said before delivering his eyebrow-raising comparison: “She sounds like an ashtray. And I mean that as a compliment. I literally mean that as a compliment.” The 56-year-old country star further elaborated on his analogy during a separate interview with a Sydney radio station, adding, “She sounds like the carpet at the RSL!”

To demonstrate his appreciation for Cyrus’s artistry, Urban performed a brief rendition of her hit single “Flowers” from her eighth studio album, Endless Summer Vacation. This impromptu cover was the intro to his glowing praise for both the song and Cyrus’s vocal performance.

Urban’s penchant for unorthodox vocal comparisons didn’t stop with Cyrus. When asked about gravelly-voiced singer Tom Waits, Urban quipped, “I mean, he’s just the nicotine. He’s all the yellow stuff in the cigarettes.”

The “Blue Ain’t Your Color” singer’s admiration for pop artists extends beyond Cyrus. He’s previously expressed his appreciation for other contemporary pop stars such as Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande. Urban even inadvertently played a role in revealing the relationship between Phoebe Bridgers and Bo Burnham during Swift’s Eras Tour in Philadelphia, an incident he later addressed with a touch of embarrassment, per Entertainment Weekly.

Urban also touched on the current landscape of country music, discussing the authenticity of artists attempting to break into the Nashville scene. He cited Post Malone as an example of successfully navigating this transition, stating, “It’s a funny thing because you still need the support of the system in Nashville, and if you go about it the right way, like Post did, you’ll see the love.”

As for Cyrus, her country music roots run deep. With Billy Ray Cyrus as her father and Dolly Parton as her godmother, coupled with her Nashville upbringing, Miley’s potential foray into country music would likely be met with open arms.

While Urban prepares for the release of his 11th studio album, High, on Sept. 20 and gears up for his “High and Alive Tour” beginning in August 2025, fans can revisit Cyrus’s “ashtray” vocals in performances like her rendition of Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog” at Glastonbury 2019.