INTRO BY TAMARA CHAPMAN
INTERVIEW BY CAMI LIBERTY
PHOTO BY PAULA TORRES
21-year-old singer/songwriter Noah Kahan brings a fresh new face to alternative music. Already having supported LP on tour and soon to be touring with George Ezra, he is quickly skyrocketing his way up in the music industry. Check out the interview below to see his thoughts on collaborating with popular songwriters and his future endeavors!
You just finished touring in support of LP – how was it?
"It [was] absolutely amazing. LP is an incredible artist and person and her entire team is a blast to be around. The shows have been almost all been sold out, and her fans are very engaged and supportive of our music as well."
Do you have any favorite shows from this run that have stood out based on the crowd’s reaction?
"I loved playing in Boston. All of my high school friends came out and cheered me on. It was just one of those shows where you're totally in love with the crowd and they seem to be totally engaged by you. It was fantastic. I also enjoyed the Brooklyn Steel show in NY a lot. It was right after playing Stephen Colbert so the release of the nerves I felt from the taping made the 2200 capacity, sold out venue feel like nothing. I was just full of excited energy and I think the crowd could feel it."
Recently you released your first EP, Hurt Somebody. What was the process like creating the EP?
"The EP was created over about 6 months. I wrote the songs between touring and promo so the process was kind of an escape for me from the craziness of what was going on. I am extraordinarily proud of it."
You collaborated with Julia Michaels on the title track of the EP – what was it like working with her?
"When I found out she wanted to be on the song, I was totally over the moon. It is an enormous badge of honor for me to have her stamp of approval on the song, and I believe she brought the track to a very special place."
What song on the EP would you say you’re most proud of?
"I am proud of every song, as I feel like they are all incredibly honest, and they all have extremely personal meaning to me. If I had to choose I would probably say Catastrophize."
Where do you find most inspiration when creating music?
PHOTO BY PAULA TORRES
"I find inspiration in everything. In sadness and happiness alike. My mom taught me to use whatever I'm feeling as inspiration for writing. That way, no matter how lost, or unmotivated I am feeling at any given time, I can just write about feeling that way. You can't run out of ideas if running out of ideas is one in itself."
In what ways do you hope to continue to evolve as an artist?
"I hope to get better at believing in myself and my craft, and to work on my live show. I really want to take things to the next level."
Is there anything else that we can expect from you in the future?
"More music, and much more touring to come!"