Luke Evans reveals how he convinced Nicole to sing a duet with him

• Luke Evans is appreciative of the help Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman provided him with when it came to creating his new album, A Song for You.
• The 43-year-old musician and actor talks to PEOPLE about his new album, his second, which is currently out, as well as how Kidman, 55, contributed to the album’s “Say Something” cover by A Great Big World.
• Following 2019’s At Last, Evans’ second studio album has titled A Song for You.

Luke Evans is appreciative of the help Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman provided him with when it came to creating his new album, A Song for You.

The 43-year-old musician and actor talks to PEOPLE about his new album, his second, which is currently out, as well as how Kidman, 55, contributed to the album’s “Say Something” cover by A Great Big World.

Evans claims Kidman invited him over for dinner one night and the rest is history, noting that he knew Kidman “liked to sing” and the two “would often talk about music while we were on the set of [the television series] Nine Perfect Strangers.”

“We would talk about my first album, which she told me that she and Keith loved, and they thought my voice was great,” he details. “I went to their house for dinner one night back in Sydney, after we’d finished shooting the show, and we were all singing around the piano at one point. It was such a lovely evening, and I’ll never forget it. It was really special.”

Evans knew he wanted to approach Kidman to sing a duet on his upcoming album when he realised she would be a great addition, but he wasn’t sure if she would accept the invitation.

“I know they’re musical and they love music and it fills their lives, so I just thought, ‘I’m going to just take a chance and see if she would say ‘yes’ — and she did,” he says. “It was a lovely moment, and we found time together to come to a decision on the song, and then she did her part in Nashville, and I did mine in London.”

Following 2019’s At Last, Evans’ second studio album is titled A Song for You. He claims that “a lot of work and a lot of time was put into this” in order to release the LP.

A Song for You includes a number of other versions in addition to his duet of “Say Something” with Kidman, including “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” “Everybody Hurts,” and “Over the Rainbow,” as well as two Christmas songs, “Last Christmas” and “Silent Night.”

Evans claims that this album is “quite different” from his 2019 LP since it “is more ballad-based throughout the entire thing.”

“It’s where my voice sits very comfortably, but I didn’t choose easy songs, unfortunately,” he adds with a laugh. “Really, these songs are major … but they’re just songs I’ve always loved to sing. They make me feel good, and sometimes we all need a song that makes us feel good, so I thought I’d put 14 of them on one album.”

On the album, Evans included two original songs: “Busy Breaking Yours” and “Horizons Blue,” the latter of which was made available as a single.

According to Evans, the song “is the second song I’ve ever written and it’s about falling in love and the suddenness of everything that happens when you meet someone. You will always remember that time.”

He adds: “I’m a great fan of George Michael and Adele, and I know that their music frequently stems from their love. Their songs can take you on a trip that is terrible, wonderful, or hopeful. So, with these songs—of which “Horizons Blue” is one—I want you to do that.”

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