Ahead of the release of Noah Kahan’s new album “The Great Divide,” Netflix released a documentary all about his life after his album “Stick Season” and the success that came with it. It dives into the good, the bad and the ugly that follows a sudden skyrocket into fame and figuring out how to follow that up.
The documentary takes us to Strafford, Vt., Kahan’s hometown, as Kahan is on the comedown from touring. The big focus of the film is trying to find creative inspiration again and grappling with the stress that the next thing you put out has to live up to the last, especially for Kahan because it put him into the spotlight.
Kahan talks about his relationship with his hometown and how he moved to Nashville to be closer to people in the music industry. Unfortunately, it wasn’t for him as the music scene was fast paced unlike in Strafford, where people don’t care about streaming numbers or when the next thing is coming out.
Something a lot of people love about Kahan is how vocal he is about advocating for mental health issues, and there’s a lot of that in the film. He’s very candid about his depression and not knowing how to handle the fame he’s been so recently thrust into. He also opens up about his struggles with body image, body dysmorphia and disordered binge eating. While he’s known for making self-deprecating jokes about his struggles, people have started taking it a bit too far when talking about his looks, and he discusses how much that affects him.
Another big part of the documentary is hearing from Kahan’s family, who give the audience insight into who he is off stage. Like any family they’ve had their struggles, only their dirty laundry got aired in an album that got mega popular. Kahan talks a lot about his parents, who are separated, and his relationship with both of them. He has a complicated relationship with his dad which stemmed from a biking accident when he was younger. Seeing their relationship through the screen was so touching because it’s easy to tell how much Kahan loves him.
The film is set to multiple songs from “Stick Season” that set the mood. There are also features from his concert at Fenway Park and a show he did in Vermont for his charity The Busy Head Project.
The documentary closes with Kahan in the studio figuring out his next project. He mentions that he’s never been so low mentally, which was a fear of him in making something new because he didn’t know if something good could come from a place where he’s not suffering.
We also see that Kahan and his then-fiancée moved back to Vermont because it gave him creative stimulation, and they both love coming home. It’s a hopeful note to end on as the credits roll and “Pain Is Cold Water” plays.
I think audiences are really going to love this, especially if you’re a fan, because it really takes you into his world and lets you see Kahan on a whole new level. The documentary is very raw and emotional with Kahan’s signature humor mixed in.
Rating: 5/5.
The placement of the title track in The Great Divide’s track list piqued my curiosity and anticipation of the project. Looking forward to reading your eventual review.