Written by Alex Armbruster
It’s almost Stick Season, and I can’t stop crying.
It all started at the Iron Blossom Music Festival in my hometown, Richmond, Virginia. Noah Kahan stepped out onto the stage, looking like he’d been plucked straight from the crowd of granola 20-somethings. The first chord to “All My Love” strummed from his guitar, and the crowd erupted with toe-stomping energy. People clapped and screamed and sang along with every word. This carried on till about halfway through the show, when everything fell silent. A single spotlight lit Kahan as his bandmates left the stage, and he performed “Call Your Mom.” I’m not a sappy person, and I loathe crying in front of other people. Though, as Noah Kahan poured his heart out alone, I found myself breaking down.
If I’m being honest, I had no idea who Noah Kahan was until his latest album, “Stick Season.” I remember hearing “Northern Attitude” on Tik Tok and wondering where the tune came from. It was only after buying my tickets to Iron Blossom, that I realized Kahan would be headlining and began my deep dive into his discography.
When I first listened to “Stick Season,” something immediately clicked for me. There’s a deeply personal quality to Kahan’s lyrics. His words are uninhibited, laying all his scars, regrets, and desires out for his listeners. “Grab a past box of photos, I rip myself open,” sings Kahan in “Still,” a track lamenting a failed relationship. He puts care into every lyric, crafting a hyper-specific narrative that grounds listeners in his experiences.
Kahan’s authentic sound matches the message behind his lyrics. His blend of acoustic melodies with fast-paced pop-rock elements puts a modern spin on folk that draws you in. A youthful irreverence threads through “Stick Season,” highlighting an emotional state so singular to coming-of-age that it becomes universal. Kahan pushes that feeling, confronting the bitterness and embarrassment associated with growing up in a smalltown and how one can both resent and yearn for the place they come from.
Grief and loss take many forms in “Stick Season,” where Kahan expresses how loss, whether it be the loss of a relationship or a loved one, can cling to you and drag you down a path you never expected. Mental health has been a focus of Kahan’s well before “Stick Season.” In his 2018 EP, “Hurt Somebody,” Kahan describes feeling trapped by his fear of moving forward. Later, in his “Cape Elizabeth” EP, he stews over the future, his love life, and the inevitability of loss.
Kahan’s raw depiction of mental health and depression hits home especially in our post-COVID, media-driven society, where disconnection and trauma still linger. To combat the growing mental health crisis, Kahan transformed his own experiences into The Busyhead Project, an initiative to support mental health care and accessibility. Since its foundation in May, Busyhead has raised over 2 million dollars from “Stick Season” Tour tickets and donations.
Kahan’s success is on an exponential incline. After an overwhelming response from fans, Kahan extended his “Stick Season” tour with additional dates in the U.S., Europe, and Australia. Since releasing his extended album “We’ll All Be Here Forever” in June, Kahan has collaborated with musicians Post Malone, Lizzy McAlpine, and Kacey Musgraves. I wouldn’t be surprised to see future collaborations between Kahan and artists like Hozier, Boygenius, and Olivia Rodrigo. Kahan and Hozier have had two viral performances together this year, one of which I had the chance to see at Iron Blossom. Kahan has also shown appreciation for indie supergroup Boygenius and popstar Olivia Rodrigo, who covered Kahan’s song “Stick Season” for BBC’s Live Lounge earlier this month.
Artists like Noah Kahan are hard to come by and a privilege to witness. It’s a truly special experience finding music that makes you feel seen, and Kahan’s art accomplishes just that. Good timing and social media may have aided in Noah Kahan’s success, but it’s his heart that will keep fans like me listening.
