How a Vermont tree farm upbringing shaped a global folk-rock phenomenon
In short: Noah Kahan spent years chasing pop success before a viral TikTok snippet of a folk song changed everything. By returning to his roots in Vermont, he transformed from a struggling songwriter into a chart-topping artist, proving that authenticity often resonates louder than the polished sounds of the mainstream music industry.
Born in Strafford, Vermont, in 1997, Noah Kahan grew up on a tree farm, the son of a guitar-playing father and a mother who wrote parenting guides. His early musical education was hands-on; he began writing songs at age 8 and was fronting a band by age 12. Despite early efforts to break into the industry—including signing with Republic Records in 2017 and releasing two albums, Busyhead and I Was / I Am—mainstream success remained elusive. It was the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic that forced a pivot. Returning to Vermont, Kahan shifted his focus from pop-heavy projects to the folk-centric sound that would define his career.
The turning point arrived in 2020 when Kahan began teasing the song Stick Season on TikTok. By the time the full track was released in July 2022, it had already gained significant momentum. The subsequent album, Stick Season, became a commercial breakthrough, leading to a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist in 2023. Kahan’s rise was marked by a series of high-profile collaborations with artists like Post Malone, Hozier, and Kacey Musgraves, which expanded the reach of his folk-leaning catalog. By 2024, Stick Season had topped both the UK Singles Chart and the Australian ARIA Charts, cementing his status as a global star.
Beyond the charts, Kahan has used his platform to address mental health, openly discussing his experiences with anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. He founded the Busyhead Project to support mental health resources in Vermont, an initiative recognized by Governor Phil Scott. His 2026 album, The Great Divide, continued this trajectory, achieving record-breaking streaming and vinyl sales. Whether performing at Glastonbury or selling out stadium tours, Kahan’s work remains deeply tethered to the personal struggles and rural landscapes that first inspired his songwriting.
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