Keith Urban announces unexpected creative shift with new album 'Flow State'

• Keith Urban announces new album, Flow State, featuring yacht rock cover versions
• The project includes an original collaboration with famous musician Michael McDonald
• Recording sessions began as a casual way to test a new Nashville studio
  

Keith Urban has revealed a significant stylistic departure with his latest musical project, titled "Flow State".

Speaking with PEOPLE Magazine ahead of his induction into the Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville on Tuesday, the celebrated country artist described the upcoming album as an "unexpected evolution."

According to Urban, the collection was born out of a desire to simply test the acoustics of a newly purchased recording facility in Tennessee.

He explained that the project grew organically from informal sessions that were never originally intended for public consumption.

"This record Flow State was just an unexpected evolution of music really," Urban remarked during the interview.

The album departs from his traditional country roots, featuring a selection comprised mostly of covers of classic yacht rock tracks.

In addition to these reimagined favourites, the record includes one original collaboration with the legendary Michael McDonald.

Urban noted that the creative process began as a lighthearted experiment rather than a formal studio commitment.

"I bought a studio in Nashville and all I wanted to do was break it in by doing a song or two," he shared.

The musician emphasised that the recording sessions were driven by a genuine passion for the genre. "And we thought just for fun, we would do a couple of yacht rock songs. I had no intention of releasing it," he admitted.

Urban concluded that the final product was simply a result of doing something the team "really loved playing."

This artistic pivot follows a decorated career in Nashville, with the star now focusing on diverse influences for his future performance schedules.