Keith Urban compares Miley Cyrus’ voice to an ‘ashtray’ in bizarre on-air compliment

Keith Urban has shared his opinion on Miley Cyrus’ voice during an Aussie radio interview, but what was meant to be a compliment was met with laughter.

Keith Urban has offered up a bizarre comment about Miley Cyrus while discussing the US singer on Aussie radio.

During a pit stop at Nova 96.9’s Fitzy and Wippa with Kate Ritchie show on Thursday, Urban performed a brief rendition of Cyrus’ hit song Flowers before he was asked what it was like working with the Grammy winner.

“I love that voice, man, that voice. She sounds like an ashtray,” he told hosts Ritchie, Ryan ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald and Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli, who all couldn’t contain their laughter.

“And I mean that as a compliment,” Urban added, before coughing up another unusual remark. “She sounds like the carpet at the RSL.”

He then went on to question the authenticity of some other artists who aren’t “legit” country stars but were trying to make their mark in Nashville.

Keith Urban likened Miley Cyrus’ voice to an “ashtray”.

He also said Cyrus sounds like the “carpet at the RSL”.

“The only thing that’s changed is that all these pop acts are coming to Nashville to try and get on a collab with someone from country. It’s never happened before,” Urban said on-air.

“It’s a funny thing because you still need the support of the system in Nashville and if you go about it the right way, like Post [Malone] did, you’ll see the love,” he explained, while also praising “authentic” musicians like Luke Bryan and Lainey Wilson for pivoting the other way and going mainstream.

Miley Cyrus won Best Pop Solo Performance for Flowers at the 2024 Grammy Awards. Picture: Valerie Macon / AFP

“They’re just legit people and I think a lot of people are sick of the BS [of] what’s real and what isn’t.”

In March this year, Urban also gave Ariana Grande an unusual comment while revealing he is a fan of her song We Can’t Be Friends. He also performed a cover of Grande’s song at one of his gigs in May.

“I don’t know what is going on with that song, but I cannot stop playing it. It’s like audible heroin. Literally, I have to have another hit,” he told People at the time.

“I play that thing over and over and over.”