Who is Noah Kahan?

Throughout the past six months, Noah Kahan has been one of the fastest-growing singer-songwriters in the country. To some, he has already become a household name. 

Noah Kahan is a 26-year-old singer-songwriter who grew up on his family’s tree farm in Strafford, Vermont. He first began writing music at 8 years old, and by high school, he was already producing music online with the help of his friends. 

Although it may seem like Kahan has popped out of nowhere in the past six months, he originally signed with Republic Records in 2017 and has been producing music with them for the past five years. His first single, “Young Blood,” released in 2017 but did not have the high success he hoped for, a trend that would continue with his next few singles released the same year. In 2018, Kahan produced his single “Hurt Somebody,” which had significant commercial success and received millions of streams worldwide.

However, one hit does not make a star. In 2019, Kahan released his first album “Busyhead” in hopes that the success from his last single would carry over. Although his fan base had grown significantly since 2017, this album did not achieve the success he had expected. Still, he released three more singles throughout 2020, followed by his second album “I Was/I Am” in 2021, all of which had low success and would only reach his already existing fanbase, for the most part. 

Kahan’s luck changed after the release of his 2022 single “Stick Season.” Shortly after the song’s initial release, it rapidly went viral on TikTok, eventually breaking the top 50 on Spotify’s USA chart. Later that same year, he released the “Stick Season” album, including the song “Dial Drunk,” which would reach No. 43 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was his first song to appear on the chart. Following this success, Kahan released a deluxe edition of the album in 2023, which rose to No. 3 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Since the release of “Stick Season,” Kahan has sold out over 75 shows worldwide and has surpassed 16 million monthly Spotify listeners – twice the number he had in June 2023. 

So what makes Noah Kahan so special? There are a plethora of answers to this question, but there are some common themes among the reasons why his fans love him. For one thing, Kahan refuses to confine himself to one genre. His songs can be described as alternative, indie, pop, folk and even contemporary. Kahan is loved for more than just his genre hopping, though. His humbleness and relatability, as well as the vulnerability, honesty and self-awareness in his lyrics draw in listeners. He uses his songs to address trauma, depression, anxiety, personal failures and nostalgia. 

There is no doubt that Kahan will continue to be a huge success in the coming years. His recent singles with other popular artists such as Lizzy McAlpine and Post Malone give fans hope for more collaborations in the coming months as they eagerly anticipate his next release. Kahan also played four sold out shows in New England in September, followed by the international leg of his tour.

“Stick Season” and the rest of Kahan’s music is available for purchase or on streaming.