Noah Kahan is an American singer-songwriter who released his first song in January of 2017. Throughout his life, he created music, and at age 8, he began releasing music on YouTube and SoundCloud. He spent the early days of his career playing in local bands before deciding to pursue music full-time.
In the early years of his career, he released singles, the most popular of which was “Hurt Somebody.” However, in 2019, he released his first album, Busyhead. This crowned his fans “Busy Heads.” Between 2020 and 2022, he released three more albums: Cape Elizabeth, I Was/I Am, and Stick Season. He is known for putting his personal experiences into his lyrics paired with catchy melodies. With each album, he has continued to evolve his sound and experiment with different genres that his fans seem to love. His live performances are highly anticipated, his tickets selling out within the hour, fans loving his raw talent and charismatic stage presence. As he continues to make waves in the music industry, he remains dedicated to connecting with his fans through his heartfelt songs and authentic storytelling.
Recently, he has captured the attention of countless teenagers around the world. His lyrics resonate deeply with listeners. His songs find a way to talk about love, heartbreak, and self-discovery all at once. In “Stick Season” he sings, “And I’ll dream each night of some version of you/ that I might not have but I did not lose.” Later on he seems to accept his loss, writing, “I’m split in half/ but that’ll have to do.” This is a feeling that many teenagers are struggling to figure out while going through life. His ability to convey emotions through his music has made him a relatable figure for many young people navigating the complexities of adolescence. Marlee Cowden, a senior at Brookfield High School, states, “His music is beautiful, calming, relaxing, and amazing.” As his popularity continues to soar, he shows no signs of slowing down and is poised to become a major force in the industry for years to come. 
His album, Stick Season, has proven to be the most hypnotizing. He travels between slow folk, upbeat, and collaborating with other artists. It has proven to be the most listened to and most popular. It gained popularity on the widestream app TikTok. Maggie Orr, a sophomore at Danbury High School, claims, “He became popular because everyone has been using his songs on TikTok.”
Orr’s statement highlights the significant role that TikTok has played in boosting the popularity of his album, Stick Season. While some people see artists who become famous on TikTok to be frauds, Noah Kahan has proved he is here to stay. TikTok is a simple way for artists to connect with their fans but the public still attaches a stigma to this method of finding fame. Until the world sees young adults as whole people rather than naive and childish, the stigma will likely follow artists who started on TikTok. However, with its captivating blend of slow folk, upbeat tracks, and collaborations with other artists, Stick Season has managed to captivate a wide audience and establish itself as a hypnotizing masterpiece.
