Noah Kahan on RTL2: “Music is almost like a magic potion for me”

From the start of the interview, Noah Kahan dive back into his first musical memorieswhich he associates with moments shared with family. He tells how, as a child, he played guitar with his father in the kitchen, on an old Alvarez whose strings had never been changed. This guitar, difficult to play, left him with memories that were both painful and precious, symbols of his budding passion for music. He also discusses the importance of Beatleslistened to over and over at home, and the way music has always been a strong bond between members of his family. Among the songs that marked this period, he cites Father and Son by Cat Stevens, a piece that he had the opportunity to play as a duet with his father during a concert in a retirement home, a memory that is both moving and offbeat.

Founding influences: from Cat Stevens to Bon Iver, folk revelation

Throughout the interview, Noah Kahan looks back on the artists who have shaped his musical universe. He explains that Bon Iver was a real revelation for himnotably thanks to the album For Emma, Forever Ago. For the first time, he felt like an artist was speaking directly to him, that the lyrics resonated with his own story. This discovery changed his way of listening and conceiving music, encouraging him to favor authenticity and simplicity. According to him, Bon Iver allowed an entire generation of artists to express themselves without artificehighlighting the voice and raw emotion, far from major productions. This minimalist approach, focused on the essential, has profoundly influenced his own writing and his way of approaching the contemporary folk scene.

Emotion as a driving force: music, an almost magical experience

For Noah Kahan, music is above all a matter of emotion. He tells Waxx that each listen is an intense, almost therapeutic experience, which allows him to connect to his own feelings and those of others. He compares music to a “magic potion”, capable of transporting him and helping him express what he feels. Among the pieces that touched him the most, he cites The Curse de Josh Rittera song which tells a singular and poignant love story, and which deeply marked him with its beauty and sensitivity. This quest for emotion guides each of his compositions and nourishes his relationship with the stage and the public.

“The Great Divide”: regrets, hopes and confidences in acoustics

Noah Kahan took advantage of his time in Foudre to present his new single acoustically The Great Dividereleased on January 30, 2026. He explains that this title was born from a reflection on his childhood, his lost friendships and the things he would have liked to say but never dared to express. For him, The Great Divide is an exploration of regret, but also a message of hope for the future, a way of turning the page while keeping in mind the lessons of the past. Live, accompanied by Waxx on guitar, he also performed a cover of When my time comes of the Dawesa piece that evokes creativity, art and the coexistence of successes and defeats.

An artist at the heart of the current folk scene

Throughout the interview, Noah Kahan insists on the importance of authenticity and sharing in his music. It evokes the current folk scene, the return of rock and the need to transmit true emotions, without artifice. For him, music is a way to tell stories, but also to create a bond with the publicby sharing universal stories. His time in Foudre allowed us to discover an artist who is both introspective and generous, who draws on his memories and his emotions to offer sincere and touching songs, like The Great Divide.