Watch now: Keith Urban on defending his Entertainer title, female-centric CMA Awards: “I'm glad it's happening”

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ABC AudioReigning CMA Entertainer of the Year Keith Urban is nominated in that category again this year. On Monday, he told ABC Audio that he can’t even begin to predict his chances of repeating on Wednesday’s CMA telecast.

“Well…I mean, who knows ever, from year to year to year?” he says. “But I will say to be nominated again was pretty surreal.”

But according to Keith, winning Entertainer of the Year multiple times is “one of those classic things that happens to other people…right?”

However, he notes, “I couldn’t picture it last year either, so don’t ask me!”

Keith has more a concrete opinion on the fact that Wednesday’s CMA telecast — hosted by Carrie Underwood with some help from Reba and Dolly Parton — will be shining a spotlight on the great female voices of country music.

“I think it’s sad that we have to do something to make this intentional recalibrating of what should have been balanced all along. But I’m glad it’s happening,” he tells ABC Audio.  (AUDIO IS ABC 1-ON-1)

Keith will be performing a stripped-down acoustic version of his hit “We Were” on the telecast.  To see if he wins the prestigious award again, tune in to the 53rd annual CMA Awards, airing Wednesday, November 13 on ABC at 8 p.m. ET.

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