Young Blood

Album: Busyhead (2017)
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Songfacts®:

  • Noah Kahan had some starts and stops in his career, which is reflected in this song where he reminds himself to stay hungry.

    "I wrote that song when I was going through some tough times," he told Music Junkie Press. "I wrote it in 30 minutes. It meant a lot to me, and it's so cool when it connects to other people too."

    "It's a tough song to sing live - it's got these crazy falsetto things," he added. "But when I play it and it seems to connect, that's just amazing."
  • Kahan has long struggled with anxiety and self-doubt, but he's never been shy about putting those feelings into his songs. In "Young Blood" he describes some of his fears: losing all his money, becoming embittered, failing at music.

    Kahan signed with Republic Records, which noticed his music on Soundcloud while he was still in high school. But there was a lot more work ahead: He toured constantly and worked to build a following. At times he'd find himself playing for just a handful of people, which could be disheartening. Doubt would creep in, but he kept going.
  • "Young Blood" was Noah Kahan's first single. All those fears he sings about in the song were attenuated when it caught on, gaining millions of streams. He was the opening act for Milky Chance at the time, and was thrilled when some concertgoers showed up specifically to see him.

    Kahan kept hustling and released the song on his debut album, Busyhead, in 2019. His small group of dedicated fans became a horde a few years later when his 2022 song "Stick Season" went viral on TikTok. The next year, he became a top draw, selling out places like Madison Square Garden and Fenway Park.
  • The music video, directed by Drew Tyndell, composites Kahan over various backgrounds that evoke nature (lots of water and trees), which is a big part of his life.
  • Joel Little produced this song. Little, who is from New Zealand, is best known for his work with a fellow Kiwi, Lorde.

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