Keith Urban revealed his "Burden" at the 2019 ACM Awards on Sunday night (April 7). The song isn't a new single from Urban, but rather, a cover of a song by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Foy Vance.

In Urban's hands, a dark alt-folk song became a piano-led pop-country weeper that builds to a powerful, riff-heavy crescendo, ready-made for the veteran entertainer's stage show. Immediately after his performance, the country star made his cover of Vance's song available for download and streaming.

Urban says that "Burden" gave him pause the first time he heard it: "I love when songs do that, when they just stop you in your tracks, and this one definitely did that," he sharesOn his Instagram account, Urban adds that "Burden" "is something I heard recently that absolutely spoke to me;" Vance released the song on his 2016 album The Wild Swan.

Urban's up for Entertainer of the Year at the 2019 ACM Awards, off the strength of his newest album, Graffiti U. The prize would be quite the coup for the defending Country Music Association (CMA) Entertainer of the Year, too.

To claim the ACM's top prize for the first time, Urban must edge out the all-male field of Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton and the award's winner for the past three years, Jason Aldean. Chesney, Bryan and Alrean have combined to win Entertainer of the Year nine of the last 13 years.

"I know what the bridesmaid feels like," Urban -- who's been nominated for ACM Entertainer of the Year nine times in total -- says with a laugh, "and if it goes that way, it's all good too. Just really honored to get the nominations."

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