How New England Singer-Songwriter Noah Kahan is Changing the Conversation Around Mental Health

Kahan is combating the stigma surrounding mental health with the power of music and a dedicated non-profit.

Photo by Waverly Brannigan

“I’m just gonna play my sad f-ing depressing music… This next song is about Zoloft, and if you came to this show I highly consider you take it,” said Noah Kahan before playing his song “Your Needs, My Needs.” 

Between his songs at back-to-back sold-out shows at Fenway Park in Boston, Noah Kahan jokingly told the crowd that they should consider taking antidepressants if they were in attendance. This may have been interpreted the wrong way coming from another artist, but for Kahan, it fit his brand and audience perfectly.

Kahan advocated for mental health awareness before gaining widespread popularity following the release of his hit song “Stick Season” in 2022. 

His first album, Busyhead, which was released in 2019, features many songs discussing his struggles with mental health. A self-proclaimed “child of divorce,” Kahan’s music references topics including therapy, medication, substance abuse, and loss – but also hope. 

The Busyhead Project

Before the Stick Season world tour began in 2023, Kahan announced his new mental health initiative, called “The Busyhead Project,” named after his debut album. 

According to the project’s website, the organization aims to “raise awareness, reduce stigma, and provide resources,” with a percentage of each concert’s profits going back to mental health charities and organizations in each city he performs. 

Live From Fenway Park

A little over a week ago, Noah Kahan released “Live From Fenway Park,” the live recordings of his two sold-out concerts in Boston in July. 

A Vermont native, Kahan’s songs not only connect with those from New England, but his candid lyrics and adlibs about mental health highlight his relatability to those who have struggled with mental health themselves. 

By releasing the live recordings, fans and listeners are given an even more side to Kahan, where his comments to the crowd in Boston, one of the places he calls home, can be heard within the album.

Kahan introduces “Growing Sideways” by saying, “This next song is about lying to your therapist.” 

To transition to “New Perspective,” he quips, “This next song is an anthem for wishing people the worst, and I thought it would be perfect to play here in New England.”

Kahan’s Impact

Noah Kahan’s unique blend of raw honesty and humor, especially when performing live, is helping reshape the conversation around mental health. 

By openly discussing therapy, medication, and his own deeply personal struggles, Kahan helps destigmatize topics often ignored by people in the spotlight. 

Through his music, lyrics, candid stage presence, and The Busyhead Project, Kahan is creating a space for his fans full of connection and healing. Throughout his rise to fame, his message has remained clear: it’s okay to not be okay,  asking for help is a sign of strength, and sometimes it’s okay to laugh through your struggles.