Noah Kahan, one of many individuals nominated for Best New Artist at the 2024 Grammys, is a folk-alternative musician giving inspiration to many. Kahan is known as an artist who puts his fans’ interests first, digs into his soul to provide fulfilling storylines and utilizes a creative outlet throughout his music. 

Over the span of his musical career, he has had many accomplishments. Some of these accomplishments include sold out tours, millions of supporters, being in the Billboard Top 100/200 and, of course, his Grammy nomination. 

Kahan released an album called “Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever)” in 2023, and it did very well. Within months of his album being released, he began promoting new music on his TikTok, Instagram and other social media platforms. His appeal grew further when many fans used his unreleased music for TikTok trends, and this resulted in the demand for the unreleased songs. Due to Kahan’s undying gratitude for his career, he decided to complete a deluxe version of “Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever).” 

On Feb. 9, he released “Stick Season: Forever,” which was clever as his most-demanded, unreleased song was called “Forever.” Instead of releasing it as a single, he decided to embark on a journey to fulfill his and his fans’ needs. Kahan has many inspirations. He was adamant on adding previous songs to the deluxe with featured artists that he has always admired. This made Kahan enjoyers elated. 

Whether it was intentional or not, there were nine songs added for “Stick Season: Forever” on Feb. 9. He is a naturally keen human, and this is evident throughout his lyricism, artistic ability and passion. He does not seek validation from others even though he appreciates it more than anything. This has been proven throughout his consistency, effort and ability to soar past the bare minimum. 

“Stick Season: Forever” has songs such as “Forever,” “Dial Drunk,” “Call Your Mom,” “She Calls Me Back,” “Northern Attitude,” “Everywhere, Everything,” “Homesick,” “You’re Gonna Go Far” and “Paul Revere.” As previously mentioned, these songs were a part of the original “Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever).” Nonetheless, a collection of incredible artists was added to the roster. Some of these artists include Post Malone, Kacey Musgraves, Hozier, Gracie Abrams, Sam Fender, Brandi Carlisle and Gregory Alan Isakov. 

Each of these artists encompass an authentic style that is uniquely similar to Kahan’s. Their music is soulful, captivating and inspiring, as many of the songs are about true experiences that hold lessons for others to learn or grow from. 

Some of the most popular songs from “Stick Season: Forever” are his solo “Forever,” “You’re Gonna Go Far” with Brandi Carlisle and “Dial Drunk” with Post Malone. With this being said, let’s talk about some of the lyrics and meanings that make these songs so enticing to different audiences. 

“Forever” 

This song is pleasurable in several ways. Firstly, the beat of the song is courageous and comforting. The beginning and ending of the song are somber, but Kahan uses strumming and upbeat sounds throughout the rest to encourage the listening audience. On TikTok, this song became wildly popular because of a specific lyric that says, “We can’t make rent, so we window shop on the upper west side — oh my God.” The way Kahan says “oh my God” in the song is rather powerful, as it is strung out and full of emotion. The meaning behind the song is his love for his future partner, and it is a blessing to listen to. It reminds everybody that true love does exist, and it will happen at the right time. 

“You’re Gonna Go Far” featuring Brandi Carlisle 

“You’re Gonna Go Far” is one of Kahan’s most famous songs of all time. It is a desirable song because it symbolizes growth, setbacks and motivation. Though the lyrics are not changed in the version with Brandi Carlisle, her perspective in the second verse is delightful because of the contrast between their voices. Having both a male and female point-of-view to the song adds relatability to several audiences. Their styles of singing harmonize seamlessly. There is a lyric in the song that says, “If you wanna go far, then you gotta go far,” and I feel that this is the most simplistic — yet encouraging — way to tell somebody to reach for the stars. Additionally, there is another lyric that says, “Who the hell likes living just to die?” Once again, this message is insanely powerful. We are not put on earth just to survive. We are put on earth to live. We have to truly live! 

“Dial Drunk” featuring Post Malone

A song that displays as much intensity as “Dial Drunk” does deserve to be fully recognized. Fortunately, it has. This song has become Kahan’s second-most popular in terms of his discography. Post Malone was added to the song for “Stick Season: Forever,” and this was an excellent decision because both Kahan and Malone encompass raspy, deep voices. Their voices blend flawlessly, and it is a gift to listen to on a scenic drive. The song goes into depth about very upsetting situations such as alcoholism, trouble with authority and heartbreak; however, it gives insight as to how to handle circumstances differently. 

Kahan is a raw, heartfelt and sympathetic artist with a very bright future. Though this may be the beginning of his extreme popularity, his name will only continue to grow excessively. Music is an entity that will exist indefinitely, and it is our job to promote uplifting music that can help others in any way. As Kahan likes to say, we’ll all be here forever. 

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