Not a pop star, not a city kid – and still TIME100. Noah Kahan talks about home, doubts and mental health.
Just a few years ago, Noah Kahan was considered an insider tip – a singer/songwriter from the provinces whose music was touching but hardly went beyond a loyal niche. Not a typical pop star, not a product of the big cities, but a quiet narrator from Vermont.
In 2026, his name will appear in a context that seemed unattainable for a long time: Kahan will be included in the TIME100 list of the most influential people. But who is this artist who is suddenly receiving worldwide attention?
Childhood between forest, family and first songs
Noah Kahan was born in 1997 in Strafford, a small town in rural Vermont. Growing up on a farm, far away from music metropolises, his parents were the main influences on him: his father taught him to play the guitar and his mother to write.
Kahan began writing his own songs at the age of eight. He later uploads them to platforms like SoundCloud – an early, clumsy attempt to make himself heard. From the beginning, his songs revolve around self-doubt, loneliness and origins – themes that later become his trademark.
First steps in the music business
At the age of 18, Kahan signed his first record deal. Tours as a support act followed and finally the debut album BUSYHEAD in 2019.
There is no breakthrough for the time being. Kahan is considered talented, but not a star. His mix of folk, indie and pop finds an audience, but he has been under the radar for a long time. The turning point comes not from the industry itself, but from the Internet.
TikTok, pandemic and STOCK SEASON
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kahan begins posting unfinished songs and humorous clips on social media. This raw, unpolished form of publishing hits a nerve – and goes viral.
In 2022 he will release the album STICK SESAON, which fundamentally changes his career. The record is strongly influenced by his native Vermont: long winters, isolation, emotional upheavals. Instead of smooth pop aesthetics, Kahan relies on honest, often melancholic stories.
The success is enormous. Sold-out shows, Grammy nominations and international attention follow. Kahan becomes the voice of a mass that finds itself in his vulnerability.
Mental health and authenticity as trademarks
A central part of Kahan’s artistic identity is his openness in dealing with mental health issues. He speaks publicly about anxiety disorders, depression and body image issues – and processes these experiences in his music. Kahan does not portray himself as an aloof artist, but rather as someone who allows for doubts – and finds strength in them.
With the “Busyhead Project” he is also founding an initiative that promotes mental health, especially in his home region of Vermont.
Return home – and global success
Despite his growing popularity, Kahan continues to return to Vermont. Unlike many artists who stay permanently in music centers like Los Angeles or Nashville, he consciously seeks distance from the industry.
This reflection itself becomes part of his artistic narrative: for Kahan, home is not just a place, but an emotional state – characterized by nostalgia, pain and reconciliation.
From internet phenomenon to influential voice
Inclusion in the TIME100 list currently marks the climax of this development. Kahan is recognized there not only for his commercial success, but for his impact: as a narrator of a generation that navigates between digital publicity and personal uncertainty.
