Noah Kahan’s rise from Vermont TikTok to multi‑platinum fame
Noah Kahan, the 29‑year‑old Vermont singer, turned a 2020 TikTok clip into a multi‑platinum career, released a Grammy‑nominated album and raised over $13 million for mental‑health aid.
Noah Kahan’s 2020 TikTok song sparked a breakout that led to multi‑platinum sales, Grammy nominations and a $13 million mental‑health fundraiser, showing how a single viral moment can reshape a music career. It matters because his story illustrates the power of social media to launch artists and his nonprofit highlights the growing link between fame and advocacy.
According to CBS News, Noah Kahan, now 29, went from a regional musician in Vermont to a multi‑platinum, two‑time Grammy‑nominated artist after a TikTok post in 2020 caught fire. The clip featured a fragment of his song “Stick Season,” which he initially considered deleting but left up, leading to other creators covering it and a sudden surge in attention.
What we know
Kahan says his high‑school prediction was “Most Likely to Be a Regionally‑Known Musician,” a label he now embraces after his breakout. The song and the 2022 album of the same name propelled him to a run of sold-out stadium shows, according to CBS News. In April, he released his fourth album, “The Great Divide,” which CBS notes has outperformed “Stick Season,” with every track debuting on the Billboard Hot 100.
Beyond chart success, Kahan has used his platform for mental‑health advocacy. He founded the Busyhead Project in 2023, a nonprofit aimed at providing affordable mental‑health services. At a recent fundraiser in Vermont, he announced the organization had raised more than $13 million.
“My high school prediction was Most Likely to Be a Regionally‑Known Musician,” Kahan said.
Fans appreciate the intimate feel of his concerts, noting the lack of elaborate production in favor of a “big, but small” atmosphere. Kahan admits the pressure of maintaining his success, describing a period of doubt while writing his fourth album. He ultimately stepped back from songwriting, trusting his lifelong love of music to return “in its purest form.”
The Netflix documentary “Noah Kahan: Out of Body,” released alongside “The Great Divide,” showcases his struggles with body dysmorphia and other mental‑health challenges. He describes confronting his own self‑image on stage, saying, “I’m confronted with the way I look all the time.”
Looking ahead, Kahan plans to explore more joyful themes in his music, acknowledging both excitement and fear about embracing contentment he feels he has rarely experienced.
What we don’t know
CBS News does not provide details on the exact sales figures for “The Great Divide,” nor does it disclose how the $13 million raised by the Busyhead Project will be allocated. The artist’s upcoming tour dates and ticket pricing are also omitted.
Overall, Kahan’s trajectory underscores how a single social‑media post can catalyze a national career, while his nonprofit work highlights a growing trend of artists leveraging fame for social causes.
Sources
File photo: Raph_PH / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0