Keith Urban Launches Rising Star Scholarship Supporting Emerging Australian Country Artists

Keith Urban has launched the Keith Urban Rising Star Scholarship in partnership with the Tamworth Country Music Festival to support emerging Australian country musicians. The scholarship offers the winner a trip to Nashville, including opportunities to perform, write, record at Urban's studio The Sound, and meet industry professionals, with all expenses covered. Urban, whose own career was launched by a similar Tamworth competition, emphasizes the importance of providing musicians with opportunities to be heard and nurtured. Peter Ross, Executive Manager of the Tamworth Festival, praised Urban as a model of the festival's pathway to success and highlighted the scholarship's role in helping artists take Australian country music global. Applications for the scholarship will open in January 2026, and the initiative reflects Urban's ongoing commitment to mentoring and inspiring new talent. This scholarship complements Urban's other efforts, such as his participation in the music competition series The Road, aimed at guiding rising musicians.