EXCLUSIVE: Keith Urban and Jennifer Lopez 'Planning to Duet Together' to 'Test the Limits' of Their 'New Romance'

Keith Urban is leaning into a renewed bond with Jennifer Lopez – with the two musicians quietly exploring both a creative collaboration and blooming romance following their respective divorces, sources have told RadarOnline.com.

Urban, 58, and Lopez, 56, first grew close in 2014 while appearing as judges on American Idol, forging an easy friendship that mixed humor, mutual respect and unmistakable chemistry.

At the time, Urban was married to Nicole Kidman, 58, and Lopez was dating dancer Casper Smart, making the relationship firmly platonic at the time.

One industry source said the pair are now discussing recording a duet together as a way to channel what they describe as a "shared emotional reset" after their turbulent breakups.

The insider added: "Even when they were sitting behind the Idol judges' desk years ago, people around them picked up on the fact that there was a natural pull between them that went deeper than a standard professional friendship. Reconnecting through music now feels intentional and emotionally measured – it gives them space to revisit that bond in a way that feels protected, without the pressure of defining what it all means too quickly. A duet lets them follow the energy and see how it translates now that their lives look very different."

Another source familiar with their conversations added: "For them, music is the safest common language they share. It sits outside the noise and expectations that come with their personal lives, and it allows them to spend time together in a space that feels balanced and unthreatening. Working on songs together will give them a way to quietly explore how far this connection might go, without forcing either of them to define it or move faster than they're ready for."

During Urban and Lopez's American Idol days, photographs circulated of Urban leaning in to whisper to Lopez at a press event – sparking rumors of a possible romantic connection between the pair.

Lopez herself fueled intrigue when she described Urban as "so cute."

Kidman publicly appeared to brush off the gossip, praising Lopez as a "goddess," and Urban and Kidman's marriage continued for years after the remark.

Lopez finalized her divorce from Ben Affleck, 53, last year, around 10 months after their separation.

Urban and Kidman announced the end of their 19-year marriage in September after months of speculation.

Friends say Lopez reached out to Urban soon after her split from Affleck, initially to offer support.

One insider said: "When Jenny heard what Keith was going through, she felt a strong pull to check in on him in a very human, uncomplicated way – not to make a statement, but to offer reassurance and let him know someone understood what that moment feels like. She's still working through the fallout of her own break-up, and that rawness has made her deeply aware of how isolating the end of a marriage can be, which is why she felt compelled to be there for him."

Urban, meanwhile, has faced intense scrutiny since his separation. After the announcement of his split, he was romantically linked him to his 25-year-old support act Maggie Baugh – claims Baugh denied.

Online criticism followed, with some fans branding Urban "creepy."

A source close to the singer said: "He hasn't taken lightly the way Jennifer has shown up for him during a period when the narrative around his split has felt overwhelmingly one-sided. With so many people automatically lining up behind Nicole, her willingness to listen without judgment and offer steady, genuine kindness has stood out. That sense of being seen and supported, rather than condemned, has resonated deeply with him."

Lopez is also described as "emotionally raw."

An insider added: "The emotional turnaround was jarring. One moment she was invested in what she believed was a shared future built on big declarations and intense commitment, and the next she was forced to confront the reality of him walking away. That sudden collapse left her disoriented and struggling to process how everything unraveled so quickly."

Friends also said Urban's attention has helped steady Lopez. And those around them stress the duet discussions are real and ongoing.

One source said: "They approach their careers with the same level of focus and emotional investment, and that mutual intensity has always been a point of connection between them. Returning to music together feels organic – it's the one space where their long history, creative chemistry, and the strange alignment of their lives right now all seem to converge in a way that makes sense to both of them."