Keith Urban managed to keep his personal challenges from overshadowing the production of his latest show, The Road, as observed by a fellow musician who collaborated with him during the filming process.

On September 30, Nicole Kidman, Urban’s wife, initiated divorce proceedings following reports that the couple had been living separately. The news came amidst the backdrop of Urban’s professional commitments.

The Road, a new reality series on CBS, tracks the journey of 12 aspiring country artists as they travel alongside Urban, 57, vying for a major prize. The show was shot between February and April across Texas, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

Billie Jo Jones, a country music artist from Texas, shared with the Daily Mail that she was unaware of the New Zealand-born singer’s personal issues during their collaboration.

“You would never guess he was dealing with anything personal. He maintained a professional demeanor throughout, exemplifying what it means to be a true artist,” she remarked.

Not wanting to comment further on Urban’s divorce, Jones, 34, went on to describe working with the Somebody Like You singer, calling it ‘a dream come true.’

While filming The Road, Billie Jo Jones, a contestant from the show told the Daily Mail, ‘He definitely pushed personal stuff aside and was all business professional the entire time’

The reality competition show filmed in February until April. It was reported Urban had moved out of the family home in the beginning of the summer

Urban’s now-estranged wife Nicole Kidman filed for divorce on September 30

‘He is one of those people that really wants the best for you and really pushes you to be your best self,’ she said.

In the October 19 premiere episode, Urban shared insight on what it was like being on the road and being away from family. He shares two children with Kidman: daughters Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 14.

‘It’s a calling, and you’re going to do it or you’re not going to make it. When you wake up on a tour bus at 3.30 in the morning and you’re sick as a dog, you’re in the middle of nowhere and you’ve got to play your fifth show later that night,’ he shared.

‘And you haven’t slept, and you miss your friends, and you’re missing your family, and you’re completely lonely and miserable and sick – and you say to yourself, ‘Why am I doing this? The only answer can be: Because this is what I’m born to do.’

Jones said she related to what it’s like for Urban to leave behind his family since she’s on the road, herself, for ‘around 125 to 140 shows a year.’  

‘It’s something that you’ve got to want it more than anything in the world to put yourself through it because it is hard,’ Jones, who recently released her new album Turquoise & Silver, insisted.

‘It’s time away from home, away from my kiddos, but it’s definitely worth it in the end because I know God didn’t give me this voice to just sit at home with – he gave it to me to go and share with others. It’s definitely a lot of hard work, a lot of determination, but it is so rewarding in the end.’

In the debut episode, viewers watched as Urban performed his track Straight Line, which fans are saying is a subtle swipe at Kidman.

Billie Jo Jones (pictured) told the DailyMail that ‘you wouldn’t even know that he was going through anything’ while The Road was taped earlier this year

The Road follows 12 country musicians as they tour with Urban and compete for a grand prize of $250,000 and a recording contract 

Urban told cameras in the debut episode what it was like being on the road as an artist: ‘You’re completely lonely and miserable and sick’ 

‘Why we livin’ every day in circles? Just burnin’ out, burnin’ out,’ he sings. ‘I don’t wanna just go through the motions. Goin’ round and round. It’s takin’ us down.’

The choice of song may well have been a subtle nod to Urban’s current marital woes, as he has previously revealed that the track is about ‘breaking free’ from ‘soul-sucking’ routines. 

Taking to Instagram in February last year, Urban shared a post promoting the track.

‘Straight Line is wanting to break out of a soul-sucking routine that you might be stuck in,’ he said.

‘Maybe in a relationship, a job, with creativity, with yourself…whatever it is!! It’s a message of feeling alive again and getting out from under that dark cloud.’

Kidman filed for divorce last month after 19 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.

Per the filing obtained by the Daily Mail, The Perfect Couple actress requested to be designated as the primary residential parent.

According to a source who spoke to the Daily Mail, Kidman was left ‘blindsided’ by the separation – it’s been reported that he moved out of their family home and moved into his own residence in Nashville. 

Urban performed his track Straight Line on the October 19 episode, which fans are saying is a subtle swipe at Kidman given the song’s lyrics

According to a source who spoke to the DailyMail, Kidman was left ‘blindsided’ by the separation. Urban ‘had to call her out’ about how he wasn’t happy, the source added

The source said that there was ‘no intimacy’ and that Urban ‘had to call her out’ about how he wasn’t happy. He allegedly ‘never’ saw his wife due to their hectic schedules with her always filming and him always on tour.

Sources also told the Daily Mail that there was ‘gossip all over town’ that Urban may be romantically involved with 25-year-old country star Maggie Baugh, his guitar player.

Baugh’s own father Chuck addressed the dating speculation when speaking to the Daily Mail earlier this month.

Baugh said that he believes his daughter’s relationship with the singer to be more professional than romantic.

‘It’s more of a musician thing than a dating thing,’ he said, before notably admitting that he had ‘not heard one way or the other.’

Both Urban and Baugh have yet to publicly address the speculation. Representatives for all parties did not respond to requests for comment.