Noah Kahan | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Kahan in 2025 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Noah Berkenkamp[citation needed] Kahan (1997-01-01)January 1, 1997 (age 29) Strafford, Vermont, U.S. |
| Genres | Folk •pop[1] |
| Occupation | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | |
| Years active | 2016–present |
| Labels | |
Spouse | Brenna Nolan (m. 2025)[2] |
| Website | noahkahan |
Noah Berkenkamp Kahan (/ˈkɑːn/KHAN; born January 1, 1997)[3] is an American singer-songwriter who signed withRepublic Records in 2017. His breakthrough single, "Hurt Somebody", achieved gold status in the United States and charted in multiple international markets. The single and EP of the same name preceded the release of his debut album,Busyhead (2019). Within five years two more albums followed:I Was / I Am (2021) andStick Season (2022), the second of which went on to be his mainstream commercial breakthrough and led to his nomination in 2023 for theGrammy Award for Best New Artist.
Kahan was born inStrafford, Vermont, where he grew up on a tree farm.[4][5] His father, Josh Kahan, taught him to play guitar while his mother, Lauri Berkenkamp, who wrote parenting guides for a living, taught him to write.[5][6][7] His father isJewish and his mother isChristian; Kahan has stated that his Jewish roots play a large part in his identity.[8] He is the third of four children.[6] Kahan began writing songs at age eight and uploaded them toSoundCloud andYouTube, where his music began to gain exposure. He received his first guitar at age ten.[9]
He attendedHanover High School inHanover, New Hampshire.[6][10]
Kahan first went on tour at the age of 19, opening forMilky Chance.[6] In 2017, Kahan signed withRepublic Records. He moved toNew York City and also spent time inLos Angeles andNashville.[5][11] Kahan cites some of his inspirations as beingPaul Simon,Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens),Counting Crows,Hozier,Sam Fender,Mumford & Sons, andGreen Day.[9][12][13]
In 2018, Kahan was featured on the song "Tough" byQuinn XCII. The song was released on December 11, 2018. In 2019, he released his debut album,Busyhead.[5] The album featured the single "Hurt Somebody" featuringJulia Michaels, which peaked at number 24 on theBillboard Hot Rock chart, marking his first appearance on anyUS charts. Kahan returned toVermont at the onset of theCOVID-19 pandemic. There, he wrote his EPCape Elizabeth over the course of a week, releasing it in May 2020.[5] On his officialTikTok account, Kahan admitted in a video that the only song of his that he listens to is "Maine", from this EP. In late 2020, he returned to Los Angeles, where he worked on recording his second album,I Was / I Am .[5] The album was released on September 17, 2021. The album did not have any mainstream hits.
In October 2020, Kahan began posting viralTikTok videos showcasing the first verse of what would become the hit single "Stick Season". Over the next two years, he uploaded more snippets of the song and teased other songs from his forthcoming third studio album, leading Stick Season to become viral before it was even released.[5] On July 8, 2022, he finally released the full version of the song to the public. Kahan says "Stick Season" is the kind of song he wanted to write, moving away from his pop heavy projects in the past to a folk centric project. He released the single "Northern Attitude" prior to the album's release.[14]
On October 14, 2022, Kahan released his third studio album, the 14-trackStick Season, which was produced byGabe Simon.[15] The album debuted at number 14 on theBillboard 200, his first appearance on the chart[16] launching him into mainstream success and helping make him a recognizable figure within the music world. On June 9, 2023, Kahan released a deluxe version of the album titledStick Season (We'll All Be Here Forever), which features seven additional tracks, including an extended version of the single "The View Between Villages".[17] After the release ofStick Season (We'll All Be Here Forever), he released tracks on the album with added collaborations from other artists, starting with "Dial Drunk" withPost Malone.[18] Additional collaborations include "Call Your Mom", withLizzy McAlpine;[19] "She Calls Me Back", withKacey Musgraves;[20] "Northern Attitude", withHozier;[21] "Everywhere, Everything", withGracie Abrams;[22] and "Homesick", withSam Fender.[23]
Kahan also collaborated with American country starZach Bryan on the single "Sarah's Place" from Bryan'sBoys of Faith EP. The single peaked at number 14 on theBillboard Hot 100. Kahan was nominated forBest New Artist at the66th Annual Grammys Awards, marking his first Grammy nomination.[24] In 2023, he was included as one ofTime magazine's TIME100 Next.[25]
On January 5, 2024, "Stick Season" became number 1 on theUK Singles Chart marking the first number 1 of the year and Kahan's first chart topper of his career.[26] In February the single also hit number 1 on the AustralianARIA Charts.[27] In April 2024, "Stick Season" hit a new peak on theBillboard Hot 100 at 9, the highest position of Kahan's career.[28] In late January, Kahan revealed a final version of theStick Season album,Stick Season (Forever). Also produced by Simon, the new rendition of the album contains all the collaboration projects since the release ofStick Season (We'll All Be Here Forever), including a new track titled "Forever" and two new collaborations on "You're Gonna Go Far" withBrandi Carlile and "Paul Revere" withGregory Alan Isakov.[29] The expanded album was released on February 9, 2024.[30] In the same year, Kahan announced a live album,Live From Fenway Park, which was released on August 30.
Vermont governorPhil Scott proclaimed Thursday, September 19, 2024, as "Noah Kahan’s Busyhead Project Day" in Vermont. Kahan founded the Busyhead Project as an initiative to provide resources and information to Vermonters struggling with mental health issues. Kahan performed a sold-out benefit concert that night having all proceeds going to Vermont-based mental health organizations.[31]
In 2025, Kahan performed at theGlastonbury Festival.[32]
On January 28, 2026, Kahan made a post on hisInstagram announcing that he would release his new album,The Great Divide, on April 24, 2026.[33] Kahan wrote and recordedThe Great Divide in a variety of settings, ranging from "next to a piano in Nashville" to "next to a pond inGuilford, Vermont," as well as "in a legendary studio inupstate New York" and "on a farm with a firetower inOnly, Tennessee."[34]
In July 2022, Kahan moved with his then-girlfriend, Brenna Nolan, toWatertown, Massachusetts, part ofGreater Boston. On August 23, 2025, Kahan and Nolan held a private marriage ceremony in Kahan's hometown.[5][35]
Kahan has openly discussed his experiences with anxiety, depression, andbody dysmorphia.[5][6][36] He writes music about his mental health; however, he is known to make light of his struggles with jokes on social media and in concert.[37]
| Year | Organization | Category | Nominated work- | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Billboard Music Awards | Top Rock Album | Stick Season | Nominated | [38] |
| Top Rock Artist | Himself | Nominated | |||
| 2024 | |||||
| Grammy Awards | Best New Artist | Nominated | [39] | ||
| People's Choice Awards | The New Artist of the Year | Nominated | [40] | ||
| Brit Awards | International Song | "Stick Season" | Nominated | [41] | |
| iHeartRadio Music Awards | Best New Artist (Alternative or Rock) | Himself | Won | [42] | |
| Best Lyrics (Socially Voted) | "Dial Drunk" | Nominated | |||
| Social Star Award (Socially Voted) | Himself | Nominated | |||
| Americana Music Honors & Awards | Artist of the Year | Nominated | [43] | ||
| Billboard Music Awards | Top Rock Artist | Nominated | [44] | ||
| Top Billboard 200 Album | "Stick Season" | Nominated | |||
| Top Rock Album | Won | ||||
| Top Rock Song | Stick Season | Nominated | |||
| Country Music Association Awards | Musical Event of the Year | "Cowboys Cry Too" withKelsea Ballerini | Nominated | [45] | |
| 2025 | Grammy Awards | Best Country Duo/Group Performance | Nominated | [46] | |
| Brit Awards | International Song | "Stick Season" | Nominated | [47] |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
