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Keith Urban dropped everything to record ‘Female,’ an anti-Harvey Weinstein protest anthem

Reactions have been mixed.

Photo of Christine Friar

Christine Friar

Keith Urban singing

Country star Keith Urban debuted a brand new song at Wednesday night’s CMAs, and it’s one he apparently “dropped everything” to record after the Harvey Weinstein scandal broke in October.

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“Female,” a ballad about respecting women, has a chorus full of all the things a woman might be to Urban: “sister, shoulder, daughter, lover, healer, broken halo, mother, nature, fire, suit of armor, soul survivor, holy water, secret keeper, fortune teller, Virgin Mary, scarlet letter, technicolor, river wild, baby girl, woman, child—female.”

Dang.

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The lyrics have drawn mixed reactions from listeners. Critics worry the song is too broad—verging on pandery—about what is ultimately a serious (and dangerous) cultural issue:

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Meanwhile, proponents of “Female” seem thankful a country music artist is finally participating in these cultural conversations in a timely manner:

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In an interview with Billboard, Urban said his relationship with wife Nicole Kidman and their daughters motivated him to rush-record the song this Halloween.

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“As a husband and a father of two young girls, it affects me in a lot of ways,” he said, taking a tack many writers have criticized throughout the Weinstein press firestorm. “As someone who knows a woman” still centers the male as the person whose feelings are important, as opposed to suggesting that women, separately, have feelings and boundaries it’s important to respect whether a man is associated with them or not.

Kidman just took home the Outstanding Lead Actress Emmy this year for her role as a character who survives domestic violence on Big Little Lies.

 
The Daily Dot