Keith Urban discusses ‘Flow State,’ a yacht-rock tribute album, and addresses Stevie Nicks’ reported frustration

Keith Urban is set to release a new album built around the sounds of 1970s yacht rock, and in a recent interview he described the project as both a stylistic tribute and a collaborative effort that connects him with musicians associated with the genre’s best-known era. Urban spoke with Billboard about the upcoming record, titled “Flow State,” and about his approach to covering classics associated with that period’s radio-friendly soft-rock scene.

In describing the album’s concept, Urban said it is designed to capture what he called a shared feeling among listeners, a theme he summarized as the desire for relief and release in everyday life. He also discussed working with Michael McDonald, a longtime figure in yacht rock and adult contemporary music, whose involvement Urban framed as a key part of translating those influences into his own performance style.

The interview also touched on Stevie Nicks, whose music has been a touchstone for generations of rock fans. Billboard reported that Nicks is “mad” at Urban, and Urban responded by emphasizing a broader intention for the album, saying, “We all want a moment of exhale.” Urban did not, in the published account, lay out specific details about the nature of Nicks’ concern beyond the reported tension and the framing of the album’s purpose.

Urban’s remarks position the project as a mainstream release that merges a country artist’s perspective with a familiar set of 1970s melodic and rhythmic indicates. The album’s focus on yacht rock covers also places the project in the ongoing pattern of genre-crossing reinterpretations, where artists revisit earlier popular eras for new audiences and established fans alike.

While Urban’s interview underscored creative motivations, it also reflects the practical reality of modern music distribution, where established artists can still draw significant attention by recontextualizing well-known material. By centering a recognizable sound associated with a specific decade, “Flow State” is likely to be assessed by how it performs with listeners who remember the original tracks, as well as by how it converts curiosity into streaming and sales.

For fans, the album launch arrives at a moment when mainstream listeners continue to seek short-form moments of familiarity, particularly as radio, streaming playlists, and viral clips often surface older songs in new contexts. Urban’s project is therefore aimed not only at reintroducing classic material, but also at packaging that material in a way that fits the expectations of today’s album audience.

Urban’s next steps depend on the album’s release schedule and accompanying promotional coverage, including whether any public statements from Nicks or from Urban’s collaborators develop further beyond the interview framing. The storyline around reported discontent, if it continues, could shape how the album is discussed in music coverage as much as the track list and production credits.

Because this account relies on the interview reporting, some elements, including the specific basis for any dispute, are not detailed in the record provided. Future coverage may clarify whether Nicks’ reaction is personal, professional, or related to the broader practice of covering or reinterpreting classic songs.