Keith Urban Recalls Being 'Crucified' As a Reality Show Contestant

Keith Urban may have only been appointed the new "American Idol" judge a few days ago, but he has been involved with similar reality talent shows for a long time. In addition to being a vocal coach on season one of The Voice's Aussie version, the veteran country musician says that he competed in a show very similar to the "American Idol" during his own formative years.

In what could be an advance message to this season's 'Idol' contestants, Urban highlighted how seemingly demoralising criticism at this level could prove to be meaningless or even a stimulating fuel for aspiring career in the long run.

Speaking at an NYC presser on Tueday, the "You Gonna Fly" hitmaker recalled: "I did a show when I was 9. I actually did a show in Australia, one of these kinds of shows with three judges, and one of them just completely crucified me."

Surrounded by the rest of his fellow 'Idol' jurists, the New Zealand-born musician dug a little deeper and revealed the exact evaluation of that judge.

"He also said to me, 'I encourage you to get out of country music, just get rid of that of that nonsense get into some real music,'" Urban said before adding: "I obviously took it to heart."

He refused to act on that judge's advice, stuck to his favourite music genre and it eventually got him four Grammy Awards, more than a dozen chart toppers and six certified platinum music albums.