Keith Urban to take the stage at Canadian Country Music Awards

Canadians share a bond with Australiansand that's part of the reasoncountry starKeith Urban says he's always felt at home performing here.

"Because we absorb so much of the same musicweobviously get America, but also the UK and all through Europe I think we've grown up with a lot of the same kind of influences," Urban said of the Aussie-Canuck connection,adding that he loves "the energy and the people" in Canada.

The New Zealand-born, Australia-raisedperformer will be spending a solid chunk of time in Canada later this year: he was announced Wednesday as one of the mainperformers for the 2018 Canadian Country Music Awards and, as part ofhis upcoming world tour kicking off this summer, Urban will play 10 dates across Canada, fromMonctonto Vancouver.

"The timing is perfect," he said of being invited to play the CCMAsat Hamilton's FirstOntarioCentrethis September.

The singer-songwriter, guitaristand producerwillbe joined at theCCMAsby Calgary singerLindsay Ell and successful duo High Valley (comprised ofBlumenort, Alta. brothers Brad and CurtisRempel).

Rising star Ellis just one of a host of collaborators with whom the Grammy-winning Urbanteamed upforhis just-released albumGraffiti U, his ninth studio effort.

"Getting to work with so many new people was the most exhilarating part of making it," Urban told CBC News during a stop in Toronto on Wednesday.

"I'm very interested in fusing things together:sonically, creatively, working with people that I would've never thought of working with and seeing what comes of it. That's what I love about collaborating."

Urban has developed a bit of a reputation for teaming up with unexpected voices and incorporatingdifferent musical styles into his music something he shares with the country genre as a whole.

"Country's got a great history of embracing many different styles into it at any given time," he said.

"I think that's kept it very vibrant and relative."

Hosted by Shania Twain, the Canadian Country Music Awards take place in Hamilton on Sunday, Sept. 9 and will air on CBC.