Who Is Maggie Baugh? 6 Things to Know About the Muse in Keith Urban’s Viral Onstage Tribute
Netizens worldwide were curious about the mystery muse when a country music icon revealed an unexpected identity during an emotional onstage performance.
During a live performance of the song “The Fighter,” which is thought to have been inspired by his ex-wife, actress Nicole Kidman, country singer and songwriter Keith Urban unexpectedly named emerging talent Maggie Baugh, sending internet users into a frenzy.
The young singer-songwriter was thrust into the spotlight after the modest lyric alteration went viral, shedding light on her convoluted and frequently difficult journey from harassed teen to internet superstar and headline act.
- Despite having classical training, she fell in love with creating her own music.
Baugh, who was born in Boca Raton, Florida, started learning music at the age of six and was taught how to play the classical violin. She grew up listening to symphony programs and sheet music, but her heart was drawn to self-written songs, soul-baring melodies, and naked lyrics.
She started playing at festivals in the Southeast United States after releasing her debut album as a youngster. “I started going to Nashville [Tenn.] when I was 13 and started songwriting around the same age,” Baugh said. “I put out my very first record when I was 13 years old.” At the age of 18, she finally moved to Nashville, uprooting her life.
She found comfort in singing and songwriting, a personal love that quickly became a career, while battling bullying at school. Her violin teacher’s suggestion that she try playing the guitar was a turning point. Everything changed after that little proposal, which signaled her transition from classical vocalist to country music producer.
Her departure from classical music was very personal, not rebellious. Her gregarious nature was not suited to the solitary world of orchestras. She yearned for independence, a place where she could express and create her own truth.
She discovered it in country music, and she fully asserted it by creating her own album, “Entertainers Heart,” on her own.
- She went viral on TikTok with her “Finish the Lick” series.
Despite her initial misgivings about social media, Baugh’s original series “Finish the Lick” caused her to become a sensation on TikTok. She first shunned the platform, calling herself a “old soul” who was too preoccupied with touring to give a damn about fashion. However, inspiration struck one evening in early 2022.
“I was just chilling out in my room about a month ago when I decided I wanted to do something called “complete the Lick.” She remarked, “All these girls are doing is finishing the lyrics.” And I thought, “Well, that’s just a bit too much. And I thought, “What can I do that’s different since I break rules so much?”
The series took off with a little help from a neighbor and a few segments shot in a bedroom. “Finish the Lick” showcased her incredibly quick guitar playing and encouraged others to build upon her riffs. Her following skyrocketed in a matter of weeks, reaching 80,000 in a single month, with videos garnering millions of views.
However, nothing compares to a live audience for Baugh. “I’m an amazing performer. I adore performing on stage. I adore going on tours. “When I see people cheering from the audience, that’s my definition of success,” she said.
- At eleven, she tried out for ‘America’s Got Talent.’
At the young age of 11, Baugh traveled to Austin, Texas, with her family to try out for “America’s Got Talent” long before she had any ambitions of being famous on the internet or moving to Nashville. Even though she didn’t make the cut, the experience would have a significant impact on her career.
She now laughs about the embarrassing occasion she soiled her pants while riding the elevator with her family that same day after being ridiculed by her father.
However, redemption arrived the following evening. She busked outside the taverns, brought her fiddle to Sixth Street, attracted a crowd, and earned enough tips to purchase her first guitar. Her ticket to the stage and her current way of life would be that instrument.
- She was recruited by Keith Urban to join his band.
The biggest break for Baugh occurred during a huge televised concert when Keith Urban asked her to play multi-instrumentalist in his band. Baugh was the ideal fit for Urban, who was looking for female musicians who could play both guitar and violin.
Pittsburgh Music Magazine claims that in addition to performing at the Country Music Television (CMT) Awards, she also accompanied Urban on tour, earning practical knowledge that will support her current 60-date, international “Entertainers Heart” headlining tour.
- Her Opinions on Collaborating with the Legendary Star
Baugh was profoundly impacted by performing with a world-renowned artist, both musically and personally. “It was like attending rock star school when I worked with him. “He is an encyclopedia of music,” she remarked.
She is also enjoying every moment of life while traveling. She expressed her enthusiasm on Instagram at her September 24 tour stop in Chicago: “It is always a blast hanging with Keith and the Crew.” I am thankful to be in Chicago this evening. Let’s go, everyone.
- Blames in Public Her Divorce from Keith Urban Following His Onstage Tribute
“The Fighter” was initially written as a very personal ode to Kidman, but it was long believed to be an emotional promise made by the singer to his wife.
“When they’re trying to get to you,” was the original line sung. “When they try to get to you, Maggie, I’ll be your guitar player,” abruptly and unexpectedly replaced the phrase “Baby, I’ll be the fighter.”
Hundreds of people expressed shock and outrage when the Instagram video went viral. “Okay, dumping Nicole is looking more suspect,” someone commented. “@a_sweet_life_always most definitely,” another person added. After he expelled other longtime band members, she joined the group a year ago. “Definitely suspect [sic].”
As soon as things became ugly, one internet user said, “@sherylash It is so clear that she took him away from Nicole. I feel terrible for Nicole. When the celebration is finished and he sees [sic] the elegant woman he is losing, he will also dump her.
With terrible bluntness, another was added: “@tracyahooper So, he slaps Nicole in the face by altering the lyrics of a song he made for her to include the other woman, and then he goes and sleeps with his guitar player?” “You broke up Keith Urban and Nicole,” a distraught admirer wrote. “Homewrecker 😜😄.”
Some believed this to be a classic example of a midlife crisis playing out in real time. “@calisun123 Yes, he is going through a midlife crisis. He moved on to the trashy after ditching the classy, and he will eventually move on once more. Being single is unbearable for this type of guy. One commenter said, “And he’s looking more and more like his ego and macho-ness is in jeopardy [sic] 🙄🙄🙄.”
Urban has consistently acknowledged that the song reflects his relationship with Kidman, even telling fans in 2018:
She enjoyed it, and it was really simple to write because it was inspired by actual talks Nick and I had prior to our marriage, some of her anxieties about it, and my desire to be able to make promises to her that I knew I could fulfill. Just give me a chance, you know; you need that chance.”
He went a step further, “In a lot of ways, the song feels like vows, you know, they’re really, ‘oh this is what I promise I’ll be and do, and I’ll take care of you and keep the world away,’ and it was very easy to write from that perspective.”
