Keith Urban's Ripcord sees country star experiment with new sound

Fans might be in for a surprise with Keith Urban's latest albumRipcord, which seesthecountrystarincorporating new sounds and genres.

"I don't feel any sense of parameters at all. You just get in and make music," the four-time Grammywinnertold CBC News.

Keith Urban: 'Hooks, choruses, singalong bits... I love all that stuff'

8 years ago

Duration 1:21

The pop country star on the 'big energy' of his new album Ripcord, which ventures into some different territory with collaborators like Pitbull and Nile Rodgers.

The New Zealand-born, Australia-raised artistworked on Ripcord, hiseighth studio album,for the past 18 months and says he didn't hold back from experimenting in the studio.

"I think the record really, really reflects that much more than any record I've done before."

The 13-track album includes Sun Don't Let me Down, an upbeat collaboration with funk legend Nile Rodgers (who's worked with Daft Punk and David Bowie) and rapper Pitbull whom Urban met through former American Idol colleague Jennifer Lopez.

The album'spop and dance influencescontinuethrough songs likeGone Tomorrow (Here Today),Wasted Timeand powerful duet The Fighterwith Carrie Underwood.

Still, Urban's country sound remains: he's already racked upnumber one hits with the singlesBreak On MeandJohn Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16.

Despite it seeming like anew direction forUrban's music,the singer noted that pop, rap,rock or other genres influencingcountry isn't new. (Remember Nelly teamingup Tim McGrawbackin 2004? Meanwhile,Snoop Dogg has jammeda few times with Willie Nelsonover the years).

"It's what the genre has always done. For me it feels like a continuation of what it is that I do," said Urban, who revealed thatas a teen, he performedin a Top 40 cover band five nights a week.

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That earlierexperience with and interest in different types of music continues today.

"When you start to mix all that togetherover the yearsand I start writing songs,everything is going to have that fusion," he said.

"I'm the guy standing on the table in the restaurant trying to get my phone closer to the speaker," laughed Urban, who noted that he's constantly trying to identify new music, especially via smartphone app.

"I listen to everything. I'm a mad Shazammer."